


How we go on

by Becca_Hope



Category: Queer as Folk (US)
Genre: 2017 QAF Gift Exchange, Angst with a Happy Ending, Canon Compliant, Fluff and Humor, Hurt/Comfort, Love, M/M, Post-Series
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-19
Updated: 2018-01-19
Packaged: 2019-03-06 21:21:08
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 14
Words: 27,400
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13419885
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Becca_Hope/pseuds/Becca_Hope
Summary: Following on directly from the end of the series, looking into the relationship between Brian and Justin right after Justin moves to New York and how they continue to be together and make it work. Following Justin through establishing himself in Brooklyn, painting, getting a job and how Brian continues to support him from Pittsburgh - with a plan for frequent visits, especially after Justin gets mugged shortly after the move.This could become a series, I haven't decided yet but I have a few ideas already on future stories that could fit this universe.This is my first story ever, which was written for the 2017 QAF Gift Exchange for asm614.





	1. Prologue + Chapter One

** Prologue **

6 June 2007

“You’ve reached Brian Kinney. Leave a message.”

Though Justin wished Brian had answered the phone, he could admit that any time he got to hear his partner’s voice it brought a smile to his face.

“Hey. I’m not going to be on tonight’s flight... I know I know I’m sorry! I’ll make it up to you I promise. I just need to...”

“...What the fuck Sunshine?”

Ah so he was home. Justin took a deep breath before going on to explain that he had been at the gallery for most of the previous day and late into the night – he was overseeing the hanging of his work for his first solo show at the Petzel Gallery in Chelsea, NYC. This meant he hadn’t gotten over to see the work that he currently had hanging at the Sideshow gallery in Brooklyn. He tried to soften the blow of having to wait another 36 hours to see him by outlining all the things he would do with his mouth to make it up to his partner. As predicted, Brian moaned and then huffed a laughed through the phone at that.

“We’ll be back there next week for the opening, can’t you drop in to see Richard and the paintings then?”

Justin ignored that, he knew it was a rhetorical question, “I’ll be on tomorrow’s flight instead. I’ve already changed the ticket...”

“How much was it? Use the card.”

“I did. I charged it to your card.” Justin smiled through the phone knowing the response that would get and not being disappointed.

“Our card.” 

Brian knew that’s exactly what Justin was looking for but was happy to give it up. Using that small 3 letter word to describe something in their lives was a hell of a lot easier for him than dropping the L word every phone call. Brian had learned to appreciate that certain terminology and words had the same effect on his lover and that suited him fine. He wanted Justin to feel safe in what they had. That in turn made him feel safe.

“Yeah our card,” Justin sighed happily. “Flight AA 4665. Pick me up at from the airport at 8?”

“I’ll meet you at the gate, as always.” Another one of those little things that made his Sunshine sunshiny.

“Later.”

“Later.”

With that Justin went back to his painting and Brian back to the bathroom off the master suite to continue getting ready for work, running through his brain all that he still needed to do before Justin got back. Most importantly getting more than beer and apples into the kitchen, Justin would not be happy to find that there was no food in the house. But in all seriousness, Brian huffed to himself, it was the kids own fault - he ate them out of house and home! Groceries were delivered every 4 days and Brian still received calls on his drive home from work asking him to pick this or that up. 

He’d never say it out loud and he’d continue to bitch every time, but he wouldn’t have it any other way. 

** Chapter One **

22 October 2005

The night Justin left the loft for NYC was hard for both the lovers. They had deliberately not discussed what the future would bring, beyond the promise that ‘it was just time’. Both knew that this was their promise that their feelings and the life they had together was timeless but it didn’t help them feel any better in the moment.

Justin and Brian had spoken nightly the first week he was away. Just basic stuff really, how their days went, how the weather was, how Justin’s new flat mate was, how the family was. Just surface stuff and Justin wanted to keep it that way. He was unsure when Brian would throw him off that famous Kinney cliff and he didn’t want to give Brian any ammunition to do so. 

One week of this turned into two and then three. Time was going by and if nothing else at least Justin still had Brian in his life somehow. 

Justin had managed to use a contact of Lindsay’s and his art forum article to get a few different meetings with potential agents and one month in to his stay in NYC he had signed a 2 year contract for representation with Janice Mulberry of Art Now Management. He liked her and she seemed to genuinely care about the visual arts and promoting the creation and not just selling the artist. She also pitched him a story about establishing himself in Brooklyn before taking on Manhattan.

Janice had a theory that as Brooklyn wasn’t as prestigious or nearly as competitive, yet still right on Manhattan’s door - enough to entice the patrons across the river to see worthy attractions - that this was the market he should be introduced through. She already had his way in mapped out and he liked that. She didn’t blow smoke up his arse about how Chelsea galleries were the way and that he belonged there. Justin knew he needed to work hard and he was prepared to earn it. Plus, he loved Brooklyn. 

He sent Brian a copy of the offer of representation, which was promptly forwarded on to Melanie. Justin loved that Brian did that, wanting the best for him. But he need not have worried, he had already sent her a copy too. After getting the all clear he accepted and was sent the full contract. Which was shared with his accountant Ted, his solicitor Mel, Lindsay as his artist representative and of course Brian as his partner. When everyone confirmed he should sign with enthusiasm he was confident he was making the right decision for his career. But when he didn’t hear from Brian for a few days, not even for their nightly ‘shoot the breeze’ phone call he worried if this was where he began to stumble off that infamous cliff. 

Justin wasn’t interested in living in Manhattan, he wanted to feel Brooklyn, know its vibe, and become a part of the place he was going to create in. So he used some of his well-earned savings to rent a one room apartment/studio in a large house. The house was a 3 storied, 5 bedroom brownstone with an open foyer, large kitchen/diner, 2 reception rooms and separate WC on the ground floor. 3 bedrooms, a small sitting room, another separate WC and a large family bathroom on the 1st floor and a further large bathroom and 2 large, spacious bedrooms on the top floor. The house was owned by his new management company meaning that he would be sharing it with 5 other people that they represented and also rented rooms there. All were artists of some variety, 1 other painter, 1 photographer, a classically trained singer and 2 Broadway dancers. 

His room was on the top floor and was luckily the larger or the two rooms up there. The other painter, Christophe, who was from Germany, was in the other room on that floor. The painters were given the top floor rooms, not only because they were larger but because the lighting up there was exceptional. He would be sharing the bathroom with Christophe and the kitchen and lounges with everyone. His room had a double bed, a love seat, desk and desk chair provided in it. It also had a built in wardrobe the length of the wall that the door was on, meaning he could store both his small amount of clothing and his art supplies in it. It had its own sink for washing his brushes and was 7 metres by 5 metres making the one room feel particularly spacious. It took up almost half the top floor and other than the wall that backed onto the small hallway; it had a high slanted ceiling with 2 roof sky lights in it, 3 large cathedral windows along the long outer wall, 2 smaller cathedral windows on the front outer wall and 2 rectangle windows on the back outer wall. Though it was now November and particularly dark most of the time, he knew the light would be fantastic for most of the day come summer and spring. 

He sent Brian pictures on his mobile of the place. Justin let Brian know that he would be purchasing 2 easels, a large flat surface that could be tilted , a bookshelf, another chair and a small TV for his room to make it really perfect. He also sent him the tenancy agreement and keys to both the front door and his private room. He wanted to be sure that Brian was up to date and included in everything he was doing, to ensure that the older man didn’t start doubting how much Justin still wanted him and always would. The keys were to make sure Brian could always find him - as both knew that in his most intense phases of inspiration he could go AWOL for a number of days.

Brian didn’t respond to any of the pictures or the keys but he had once again started answering the phone every night, had arranged for his computer to be sent to him now that he knew where he would be staying and that he had space for it and that was enough for Justin to feel like he was not going to be pushed off Mount Kinney any time soon.


	2. Chapter Two

2 December 2005

It took Brian almost 6 weeks before he cracked and admitted to himself that phone calls weren’t going to cut it and he needed to see Justin in person. He also knew that seeing his new living and work environment and meeting his roommates and new agent would go a long way to allying the fears he often thought up in his mind at night before falling asleep. Things like Justin being attacked entering his front door, his agent bullying him into painting things that were not ‘him’ and worst of all that some artist in the house caught his eye. He would never admit these worries out loud but he knew he needed to see everything for himself to feel better. 

Late in the evening in early December Brian took his keys out and unlocked the door to a large brownstone in Bushwick, Brooklyn. He looked up and down the street to make sure that it was safe and it did appear to be. There was good lighting and quite a few people around, making it unlikely something would happen to his boy when he was out here - during reasonable hours anyway.

He entered a foyer and could hear a TV playing to his left, looking into what appeared to be a large sitting room, were 2 girls watching some sort of MTV reality program. They looked up when they heard the door close and noticed the extremely handsome man now standing in their home. Brian smirked, aware from their facial expressions just how happy they were to see him. He looked around the room they were sitting in, a bay window with a cushioned bench seat, a small dining table with 4 seats and a large worn sofa, 2 arm chairs and a beanbag. Looked ok, not student housing at least. 

“And who might you be?” One of the bobsie twins asked from the couch. Both still had their eyes trained on Brian. 

A young male entered from the room that came off the end of the lounge, through 2 open glass sliding doors. The kitchen could be seen behind him. He was pretty hot, but Brian knew immediately he was straight. Absolutely no vibes pinging from him. He was holding a beer in his left hand and seemed to recognise Brian immediately. Which Brian found interesting - clearly his boy had been sharing with at least one of his new housemates. 

“Ahhh the imaginary boyfriend appears to be real” he laughed. Brian just smirked further and raised one eyebrow. 

“Oh Justin’s true love! How did I not realise.” The other couch dweller stated.

Brian just nodded as he picked his bag up and went upstairs. He wasn’t here for them, just wanted to size them up and from that brief encounter he knew there would be no problems with them. He heard the 2 girls giggle as he walked up the stairs and the guy mutter “charming”. 

He knew that Justin’s room was in the converted attic on the top floor, so that was where he was heading, up two flights of stairs. He noted that on the first floor there was a long corridor with a closed door at the very end, 2 open doors on the right, an open door on the left, which as it was close to where he turned to walk around to the next staircase he could peak in and noted it to be another common room. It had 2 arm chairs and a small bookshelf under a window and a small desk. He observed immediately some art books that used to reside in his loft’s bookshelves so he knew Justin used the room. As he turned to wrap onto the second staircase he noted two more closed doors coming off the small hallway on the other side of the house – he assumed these were 2 bedrooms. 

On the top floor there was an open door right in front of him that led into a fairly decent size bathroom. He noted the double vanity, a built-in storage cupboard, bath tub and a large shower in the corner. He smiled realising this bathroom would still allow them all the comforts of their home one, where they could ‘shower’ together. There was a thin walk way on either side of where the stairs met the landing, one door was closed and one was slightly ajar. He knew this one to be Justin’s as it was on the left hand side of the house. Brian pushed the door further open as lightly as possible so as not to disturb the artist within. 

Justin stood in a pair of tracksuit paints, rolled up at both legs, clearly too long for him. And a dirty, paint spattered CM hoodie. Hmmmm the little thief had clearly raided his wardrobe before he left... seeing his lover in his clothes though did something to Brian’s stomach, making it flutter in a way that made him feel a little giddy. It also wiped the smirk off his face and replaced it with a soft smile – one that often only appeared when he was looking at either Justin or his son, or more so looking at his son and Justin together. 

Brian took a moment longer to enjoy staring at his lover and the intensity that radiated off him as he painted on a large canvas lay out on a table in front of him. He could see that there was an open sketch pad on the easel close by and that Justin’s computer was on, both obviously illustrating what Justin was now transferring onto the canvas.

Brian loved to watch Justin work. He was so passionate about his work and his life and to know that he got to be a part of that passion made him as hard as a rock, even when he was just sitting at home thinking about the young man. 

After a few moments, he cleared his throat though. Sick and tired of waiting any longer, wanting his lover back in his arms. Also now horny enough to need his touch immediately. 

Justin knew that noise. Would know that noise in a loud, crowded room. Would know any noise his lover made, no matter where he was or what he was doing. He stilled over the painting, smiling, then turned to look up, meeting Brian’s eyes as his sunshine smile took over his face. 

Brian stepped fully into the room and shut the door firmly behind him. Also now smiling profusely at his partner. He knew this was a good surprise. 

Justin dropped his paint brush, not caring that it hit the tarp covered floor and bounced off somewhere. He launched himself into Brian’s arms and attached his lips to his partner’s – making up for all the kisses they had missed recently. 

Brian swung them round so that Justin was pushed up against the door he had recently closed, fusing their bodies as close together as he could get them. Rubbing his hands through Justin’s hair and down his sides. Putting them up under the man’s hoodie to reacquaint himself to the soft skin found beneath. 

There were no words. None were needed. Just the touches and kisses as they continued to enjoy that they were once again together. For Justin it has been far too long, no one had touched him since he had left Brian all those weeks ago. They hadn’t openly discussed this but Justin knew he wasn’t interested in anyone else having him in that way and so had just thrown himself into his work, without thought to tricking or finding any release beyond his own hand and Brian’s throaty voice over the phone or facetime. 

For Brian it wasn’t exactly the same. The man, still being the stud he always was, had a few encounters in the bathroom stalls at Woody’s when out for a weekend drink and had enjoyed some fresh meat at the gym. But his numbers were definitely down. He wanted to blame this on Babylon being in the reconstruction phase, but he knew. He was just not that into it anymore. He needed release, like he always had, but he wanted that release more and more to come from Justin. He knew eventually he would have to take a deeper look into these feelings, but that time was not right now.

No right now was for this – touching, caressing, kissing, sucking and giving their bodies over to each other to receive the feelings they could only get from being with the other man. 

Brian pulled the jumper up over Justin’s head, dropping it to the floor and grabbing Justin’s wrists before he could do anything with his hands. He locked them against the door, above his head and bent his knees a little. He captured one nipple between his teeth, pulled on it none to gently and then sucked it hard until it came to a firm nub and he heard a small squeak pass Justin’s lips in response to the sensation. He soon moved on to the other nipple, giving it the same attention. 

Justin’s head had fallen back against the door as he breathed deeply, enjoying the feelings Brian elicited in him. He managed to wriggle his wrists free of their hold and grabbed both sides of Brian’s face and brought it back up to in line with his own, so he could reattach his lips to those of his partner. Their tongues once again locked around each other, tangling together and fighting for dominance in one mouth and then pushing back into the other. Building deep inside them was the need for much more than just kissing and caressing. 

The fumbled with their clothing, wanting nothing to stand in the way of flesh on flesh. Once they were naked, Brian stepped back to take in the panting Justin, who smiled up at him from under his eyelashes, sending Brian that innocent look that always made his heart beat a little faster. 

Brian grabbed a hand and led Justin over to the unmade bed against the back and outer wall corner and pushed his lover down onto it. Justin bounced on the bed and giggled, a sound that only enticed Brian further. He took his place over his boy and lined their cocks up before dropping his hips down to rub their penises against each other as they rutted together. 

They couldn’t seem to help themselves as they continued to rub their hands all over each other; humping their hips together over and over again. They bumped their tumescent hard-on’s together enjoying the pleasure they were both gaining from the friction. Brian had manage to squeeze his hands under Justin’s body to grasp his bottom cheeks, one in each of them, forcing their hips into each other even further and harder as he kneaded the globes.

Brain knew that he wanted to be inside Justin desperately, but not as desperately as he wanted to get off and see his seed spilled all over Justin’s cock and stomach, marking him with his cum. So he kept them rutting and kissing furiously until he felt his balls begin to pull up. He moved back and aimed his cock so that it sent the white cream out onto Justin, all over his groin, dribbling down to his balls and then re-aiming for some to hit his belly and chest. At the feeling of the first warm stream, Justin too came. 

The both were panting, Brian sitting back on his legs in a kneeling position between Justin’s legs and Justin lying in front of him. Their chests were heaving and they both were locked in an intense gaze with lazy smiles on their faces. Still both yet to even speak to each other but knowing they were both incredibly happy and words were not necessarily needed. 

Brian lent forward, lying his body over Justin’s once again, leaning most of his weight on his elbows aside Justin’s head. He started again with the kisses, slow this time, showing his love through his lips. It didn’t take long though for their need for each other to begin to grow again and they slowly started to move their hips against one another’s. Cocks coming back to life; ready for another round. 

Brian trailed his tongue down Justin’s neck, lapping at the juncture between neck and collar bone, a place that always set Justin off. He then travelled his kisses up behind the boy’s ear, sucking the lobe into his mouth and tugging on it with his teeth softly. The moaning that all of this was producing from Justin was getting louder and Brian knew this time he was going to move along to the ultimate prize – getting inside his partner. 

Brian shifted slightly and his hard cock caught itself on the underside of Justin’s balls, nudging them on every forward motion his hips now made. He slipped down again, a little further, so that his naked cock slipped along the boy’s crack. He took a moment to slide it up and down, letting the pre-cum leaking from his shaft lube his way a little. He knew he just wanted to slide home but that he couldn’t and wouldn’t do that to Justin, no matter how much they both may want it – not now anyway. After sliding together a few more times and feeling Justin link his ankles behind his hips, opening his arse further to him he knew he needed to get a grip. He could feel his naked tip nudging Justin’s hole and had to shake his head clean of the whirring noise the sensations this produced in his mind. 

Brian pulled back and reached to Justin’s small bedside table, hoping to find the necessities he would need for the next stage of their re-coupling but all he found was a tube of lube. He pulled back slightly and looked at Justin confused, where were the condoms? He lifted a brow in a perfectly practiced move and Justin knew exactly what he was asking.

“I don’t need them.” Justin said in a shy voice as he closed his eyes and bright red flush came all the way from his chest onto his face. 

Brian’s eyes widened with just what that meant before he sat back on his hunches between Justin’s legs again. He got off the bed, Justin sitting up to see where he was going. Brian stopped at his discarded pants and retrieved 2 condom packets from the inside of the back pocket. He brought them both back over to the bed and threw them down beside Justin’s naked body. 

Brian climbed back onto the bed, picked up the bottle of lube and squirted some onto his fingers. He put a lot on them, now knowing that it had been about 6 weeks since Justin had been penetrated. He felt like his body was on fire, wanting, no needing to get inside the tight channel of his boy. He rolled a finger around the pucker, spreading the lube to the new surface, before slowly entering the channel. Justin let out a sigh, as if he had been waiting for this moment all his life and it was all he needed to feel better. Brian knew the feeling.

After sliding one finger in and out, he added his middle finger and slowly worked up to scissoring the passage open further. He added a third finger and heard Justin whimper at the extra intrusion and could feel him tense a little, trying to bare down to accept the extra digit. Brian began whispering soothing words to Justin, telling him what a good boy he was, how much he had been missed and how nice and tight he felt around his fingers. Reminding him to open up, that he couldn’t wait to slide inside.

His words had the desired effect and shortly after Justin was keening and begging for Brian to breach him with his hard cock. 

“Fuck me Brian, please fuck me!” Justin shouted, not able to take the teasing any longer and wanting his lover to make him his all over again, “I want to be yours, take me, make me yours, don’t ever let me go.” Words were pouring out of the man as he went slowly crazy with his need for Brian.

“I’ve got you. You are mine, will always be mine.” Brian responded as he withdrew his fingers carefully and slipped on the condom. He added some extra lube to his cock, giving it two extra tugs to share it over his engorged member. Then he slid himself home. Both men sighing into each other’s mouths as they found their rhythm easily; fitting together as they always had. 

Brian’s cock felt like it was encased in a vacuum, it was so tight and the pressure around him was almost unbearable. He pushed through it though and both men were enjoying the feelings and moans they were bringing to each other. Justin was scratching at Brian’s back and raising his hips to meet each of Brian’s thrusts into his body. He wanted him deeper, deeper – all the way inside him. He wanted Brian to touch places no one had ever touched. This thought alone almost got him off.

Brian found that special spot inside of him and continued to push into it, over and over again. Rubbing along the bundle of nerves with his penis. This caused Justin to feel like he was going to explode into a million pieces, the only thing holding him together was Brian’s hand linked to his own. Brian felt the same, like he could fly off into the universe with these intense feelings being created inside him, but he too was grounded by his attachment to Justin. All that existed was the other man there in bed with him. 

Brian moved to reach for Justin’s cock but his hand was slapped away. Justin didn’t need any extra stimulation – he was already so close to coming from Brian’s incessant pumping in and out of him as it was. They continued for a few more strokes before Brian felt Justin’s channel get impossibly tighter before the warm spurts of cum were felt on his stomach. This caused Brian to lose all finesse and pump a few extra times shallow and quick before his own orgasm took over and was ripped from his body – milked out of him by Justin’s spasming hole and straight into the condom, filling it quickly. 

Brian lay on top of Justin for some time, before holding his cock and the condom to it and extracting himself from his lover’s body. He pulled the condom off and dropped it off the side of the bed. He then rolled to the side and Justin curled into him, both of them spent but so happy. They smiled up at each other and Brian pushed Justin’s sweaty bangs off his forehead where they were stuck. After running his fingers through Justin’s too long hair, not that he would complain about it, he loved it this long, he heard Justin’s breathing even out and knew his lover was asleep. He curled around him and also slipped into a nap.


	3. Chapter Three

When Brian woke up he was alone in bed but he knew his partner was close by, he could hear the scratching of pencil moving across paper and knew that he was once again being immortalised by his talented lover. He would happily wake up to this noise every day for as long as he lived. 

“Can I move or would that ruin your sketch?” He asked with his eyes still closed.

“Go ahead, I have the basics out.”

He opened his eyes and rolled towards the voice. Justin was sitting cross legged on the love seat near the bed, watching him. He smiled widely at Brian and it was returned warmly. Brian pat the space on the bed next to him and Justin moved over to sit next to him, hand resting on his side, leaning down to give him a sweet kiss. 

“Hmmmm I have missed that” Brian stated uncharacteristically. 

Justin smiled shyly and began tracing patterns across Brian’s side and arm.

“I have really missed seeing you, touching you, being with you.” Justin said, looking down sadly, “I wish…”

“Don’t. This is how things have to be for now. We know it isn’t forever.” Brian wanted his visit to be a good one, not a thing to cause Justin more misery and rub it in further how hard it was to be apart from one another. 

Justin looked up at Brian at his harsh tone, belayed by his sweet words. He nodded slowly and then looked down again.

Brian sat up a little and used his fingers to take hold of Justin’s chin and raise his face so that he was looking him straight in the eyes. He leaned in to kiss his partner again and then when he pulled back he smiled slightly, “I love you.”

Justin’s whole face lit up. Sunshine broke through the darkish room. Ah, he would drop those three words often into the future, he knew, to have this response bestowed upon him for the rest of his life. 

Justin pushed him onto his back and then snuggled up beside him, placing a kiss on his neck and chest before making himself comfortable with his head over Brian’s heart. Brian wiggled an arm free and brought it up and around Justin and now it was his turn to run his fingers lightly up and down Justin’s arm and back.

The couple lay in silence for a few moments, breathing in sync with each other, just enjoying being together again. 

“How long are you here?”

“I’m taking an early flight back on Monday morning; I am all yours till then.”

“Tell me about home.”

“Surely there are better things to talk about than the Pitts and your home is New York now Sonny Boy.”

Justin raised his head and gave Brian a hard look, one that he knew too well. “Don’t Brian. You know where my home is.” 

Brian smiled, sometimes he said things like this just to be sure that the response was always the same, and it was. “Mikey and Ben are good, they are off to Canada this weekend to visit the Munchers, JR and Gus. Hunter is staying at home as he still has exams to study for. You are probably more up to date on Emmett than me as I hear constantly about how he speaks to you daily. Debbie and Carl, who knows and Ted, who cares.”

Justin laughed softly, “I speak to Emmett via text, it’s not the same as really chatting and catching up. I save that for you.”

Brain gave him a quick squeeze in response to his sentimental comment. 

“The Babylon refurbishment is coming along. We should be on track to re-open as planned on New Year’s Eve. You’ll be there?”

Justin shifted and sat up, looking down at his lover. He nibbled on the corner of his thumb, a nervous habit Brian knew all too well, this meant he was about to be let down. He frowned, “If you’re not coming home for Christmas and New Year’s you better plan on telling Debbie and Mother Taylor yourself, I am not dropping that bombshell and taking the bullet for you.”

Justin could tell this statement was a defence mechanism; Brian would be more hurt than either his mother or Debbie if he wasn’t home for the holidays. Even though the man claimed not to partake in celebrating Christmas. 

“I’ll be home. I haven’t booked my flights yet but I am definitely coming. I have an interview at that gallery on Tuesday so once I know more about that I should be able to work out when I can come home. I just don’t think I will be at the re-opening.”

Brain stared at him, eyebrow raised towards his hairline, silently willing the man to continue.

“It’s not that I am scared, don’t think that…”

“I don’t think that!”

“Good, cause I am not.” Justin said defiantly, yet still biting his thumbnail, “I just don’t think I am really ready to go back there. I don’t know when I will be.” Justin raised his eyes and met Brian’s then and shrugged a little.

“When you’re ready, it will be there. No one is forcing you.” 

Justin smiled shyly again and lay back on Brian’s chest. “I really love you Brian.” 

Even though Justin couldn’t see it, this time it was Brian’s smile that almost lit up the room. More like the moon coming out from behind a cloud on a dark night, than the sun breaking, but still a glorious glow emanated just the same. 

Brian then abruptly jumped, taking the chance to strike and start tickling his boy, causing Justin to giggle loudly and jump from the bed.

“Come on Sonny Boy, let’s hit the shower.”

Justin grabbed Brian’s hand and pulled him with him, dragging Brian, both of them naked, to the bathroom just outside his bedroom door. He opened the small built-in in the room and pulled out a fresh towel for Brian and set it on the towel rail beside his towel. He turned but Brian was no longer behind him. Before he had a chance to follow back to his room Brian came out with his toiletries bag and re-joined him, shutting and locking the door behind him. 

Justin opened the shower stall and turned the water on, letting it heat up before stepping in. He noted Brian pulling his loofah and a condom out of his bag and reaching past him to put them into the shower. Justin took them and put them both on one of the soap shelves, obviously Justin’s , within the shower stall. He re-tested the water and now feeling that it was warm turned to pull Brian in behind him.

Brian gently pushed Justin under the hot water spray, taking the soap from Justin’s hand and running it over his chest and shoulders. Lathering the young man’s body. Justin was still using the same brand of soap he always had, the smell brought about many memories as Brian ran it all over Justin’s body. He was gently rubbing Justin’s neck, arms and slipping his hands down his back and around his stomach, just enjoying the feel of the soapy man’s flesh.

Justin could feel all his muscles relaxing under Brian’s ministrations and knew just how much he had missed his man treating him so well. He turned away from Brain, when he was given a gentle push on the shoulder and Brain continued to wash his back more thoroughly before squatting behind him to wash his legs and massage the tight globes of his bubble butt. 

After watching the soap suds wash down Justin’s legs Brian leaned in and started placing small kisses over Justin’s arse, grabbing the globes in his hands and alternating between tight and soft grips to his favourite piece of Justin’s anatomy. His tongue made its way to Justin’s tight pucker, which was still a little open from their earlier coupling. He started to lick and nibble at the bunched, folded skin before straightening his tongue and using it to prod in and out of the hole. Brian was soon lost in the lapping motion, enjoying tasting this intimate part of his lover again after so long. Justin’s moans only encouraged him further.

It wasn’t long till Brian felt that need rising in his stomach to be back inside his lover again. He stood up and reached past Justin’s bowed head to the soap holder on the wall of the shower, to find the condom that Justin had placed there when they entered the shower stall. He ripped it open, rolled it down his achingly hard cock and then slammed it inside what he knew would always be considered its home – Justin’s ass. 

Justin let out a long, low moan at the intrusion, loving being filled by his lover again. Brian was placing kisses over the back of Justin’s neck as he moved in and out of his channel. He bent his knees slightly to get a different angle and found Justin’s prostate on his next upward stroke. Justin’s knees shook as the pleasure coursed through his body, making him shake all over and moan loudly again. The grunts and groans continued, echoing in the small shower stall, egging both men on further. 

Justin was tightening his channel on each upward stroke that Brain shoved into him, causing Brain to retaliate with nips that would leave small bruises to the juncture between Justin’s neck and right shoulder. Justin could feel himself getting closer and closer to release, so he slipped his hand over where one of Brian’s was placed on the shower wall, linking their fingers together, and put his other hand over his throbbing cock. He started jerking himself off in time with Brian’s thrusts causing his pleasure to increase even further. 

Justin came all over the wall in front of him, hanging his head to exhale a long unsteady moan as he watched his juices washed away by the water. Brian bit down one more time on his neck, sucking his skin into his mouth and holding it there as his hips jackhammered a few more times against his backside, before he too came, filling the condom inside his lover.

After his release he leaned forward into Justin, who fell slightly into the wall in front of him. Both men using the wall to prop them up as they recovered their breathing, their hands still joined on the wall above Justin’s head. 

“God I have missed you and this” Justin stated breathily as he straightened himself upright again, turning into Brian’s chest after his partner withdrew from him and letting the last of the hot water wash over them both.

Brian stepped back, removed the condom, let it drop to the floor and took Justin into his arms. 

“I promise we won’t go this long again.”

Both men knew that they would hold each other to this promise.


	4. Chapter Four

The weekend passed Justin and Brian by fairly quickly. It wasn’t like they actually did anything too exciting; they went for a walk around Justin’s neighbourhood – more to assure Brian that it was a safe area. Brian was not assured, but his protective streak was larger than most peoples. 

The two men also found their way to Soho for some shopping and managed to get out for drinks with most of Justin’s housemates on the Saturday evening. Brian got to know each of them, even though he didn’t really participate in any of the discussions or stories being shared. He mostly sat back and watched the interactions, trying to figure everyone out and size them each up. But the summaries he made did leave him feeling much more secure in the environment Justin would be living in for at least the next 12 months. 

Brian was able to make the following judgments on each of Justin’s new housemates:  
Christophe, the other painter, was in Brian’s opinion nowhere near as talented as Justin, but he supposed he could be considered biased. He was a smart guy though, fairly quiet but opinionated at the same time. Brian had seen some of his art when Justin had taken him across the hallway to introduce him on Friday night after their shower. He seemed to paint mostly landscapes from photos that he had also taken himself. He had been in NYC for 2 years and had been under the management agency the entire time. He had been part of 4 smaller shared shows in Brooklyn and had recently showed in a larger show in a Soho gallery. 

Christophe was 28 and Brian was quite sure he was straight, though he did note that he often looked at Justin with some sort of interest in his eyes. He had mentioned it to Justin in bed after the drinks on Saturday and Justin assured him he was straight but went on to tell him, whilst blushing, that Christophe had told him that he just admired beautiful things and thought Justin was particularly beautiful. Brian enjoyed Justin’s blush, the kid always found it hard to speak about his own looks, though it was clear that he was stunning. The blush made Brian roll over and stick it to him for a fourth time that night alone, and it was only just after midnight. 

The photographer was the guy with the beer in the kitchen when he had entered on Friday evening. Jacob was 27 and was clearly the closest person to Justin in the house. The two had the same sense of humour, were both extremely talented and outspoken. He came up to Justin’s room with coffee for the 3 of them on Saturday morning, made himself at home on the love seat near the bed and just chatted endlessly about his camera not finding the right lighting when he went out early that morning to take some shots in the streets for an upcoming series he was putting together. Justin and Brian had been naked when Jacob had entered the room, albeit covered by the large quilt. They had been making out and it was getting heavier, when the door had swung open, Jacob claiming to have his eyes shut but was baring coffee so should be admitted. 

Brian quickly learnt that the two shared an intense love of their particular art fields and that in each other had found someone to sprout off too about it. Jacob currently had some photographs showing at the Front Room Gallery in Williamsburg, which was quite a big deal or so he was told by both Justin and Jacob. The photographer was also very straight, as Brain had first suspected. He had a girlfriend, Annabelle, who was training as a ballerina at the American Ballet Company (ABC) and lived in the dorms there. She was 24 and they had been together for 3 years. She came to meet them for a quick drink on the Saturday night before heading off with Jacob to see a show – it was one of her rare nights off so they said they were making the most of it. Justin also seemed to get along well with Annabelle and the three of them seemed like quite a little click, one that for once in his life didn’t make Brian jealous that Justin was a part of without him.

He didn’t meet the singer as he was off touring at the moment in some national opera showcase over the Christmas/New Year period. Roman wouldn’t be back until February the next year. Justin had only met him briefly before he had left on tour but Justin said he seemed like a nice guy. He was British and was the oldest member of the house at 35. He was gay and single. Brian didn’t want to think about that any more than he had to and as the man wasn’t currently around he chose to block it out from his mind. 

The two Broadway dancers, the two similar looking girls in the lounge when Brian had arrived, were both 21 and were both dancing in a stage show that was currently in pre-production and would be going to stage in March. Tanya and Louisa were both NY natives and had met when they were only 16 doing auditions. They shared a room in the house, the large one at the end of the long hallway on the 1st floor. Brian made some crude jokes about them being secret lovers but Justin kept pinching him every time he brought it up, it made him do it more often. Justin seemed to get along with the girls but they were giggly and loud and Brian could tell that they would certainly get on the blonde’s nerves if they hadn’t already.

On Sunday evening Brian and Justin ordered Thai from a local pick up place and took it home and ate in Justin’s room on the floor before proceeding to devour each other repeatedly before Brian had to leave the following morning. At lunch that day they had gone over Justin’s upcoming interview and done a mock one so that Justin could practise some answers. Luckily Brian had a lot of interview experience, having to often hire new staff at Kinnetik so he was able to offer some good tips to his partner. 

They had also worked out Justin’s trip home for Christmas on Friday 23rd and he would need to come back to NYC on 3 January. His agent wanted to view several new paintings by the end of January so that she could submit a variety of new and old to a few galleries who would be having group showings in the New Year so he needed to be able to spend some more time on those. Though the boys had agreed on the Friday that they wouldn’t go so long again without time together, they both knew Brian was going to be very busy in the lead up to Christmas so it was unlikely he could come back for more than a night so this would just have to do. It was only 3 weeks anyway. They were holding off booking just in case Justin got the gallery job and he needed to be back in between Christmas and New Year’s but were pretty confident that these dates would work. 

When Brian began packing his bag late on Sunday night he pulled an envelope out of the front zip of his bag and threw it to Justin, who was sitting on the bed. 

“I almost forgot to give this to you.”

The practiced nonchalance of the statement alerted Justin immediately to the fact that whatever was in the envelope was extremely important. Justin fumbled with the envelope at first, almost dropping it twice before being able to open it. Inside was a bank letter with a credit card attached to it. His name was on the front of the card, but the letter was addressed to Mr B Kinney and Mr J Taylor at the address of the house in West Virginia. 

“What’s this?” Justin asked in a very quiet tone, staring at the card and their names together at the house’s address.

“We needed an operating account for the house. I had Ted open it.” Brian said, shrugging his shoulders and looking at Justin briefly before continuing to fold his clothes meticulously, trying to look unaffected at all by what was happening.

“Do we have a joint account Brian?”

“Yes.”

Once again Justin’s sunshine smile lit up the whole bedroom. Brian was pretty sure that if they hadn’t been constrained by the walls of the room it would have lit up the house, maybe even Brooklyn. ‘Beautiful’ flashed through his mind. 

“But I haven’t put any money in it.”

“What’s mine is yours.” 

At that Justin turned and dropped the card onto the bedside table, before turning back and crawling across the bed towards Brian. He was staring up into Brian’s face with this look, this look of utter love and possibly like he was about to devour prey. Brian was absolutely caught by the look and was standing shock still holding a neatly folded shirt. It was soon dropped and forgotten. The packing would have to be redone, as the bag was unceremoniously knocked off the corner of the bed when Justin pulled Brian toward him roughly. 

Justin was kneeling in front of Brian, pulling at his jeans and top, “Get them off.” He grunted. 

Once Brian was naked in front of him he pulled him down onto the bed and slipped in-between his legs and took Brian’s now engorged penis all the way into his throat in one swoop. Brian keened loudly and his upper body almost came off the bed and into a sitting position at the action. God it felt so good.

Justin sucked and nipped and licked like he was enjoying the best lollipop ever. He was going to town on the hard cock, worshipping it as if it was a treasure worth millions. Which to him, it was. He pulled off, just keeping the head in his mouth, hollowing out his cheeks due to the force of his continued sucking. 

Brian was in another world. He couldn’t think, he couldn’t focus, he couldn’t do anything but hold Justin’s head in one hand and with the other grip the bed sheets to ensure he was still in this universe. He came down his lover’s throat not too long after the blow job started, it was just that good. He did always say that Justin was a master at fellatio. 

Justin pulled off with a popping sound, licking his lips like the cat that got the cream. He looked up at Brian through his hooded eyes before crawling up onto the man, sitting across his lap and leaning down to kiss him, sharing his seed. The two continued kissing in this position for quite some time, Brian could feel Justin’s need poking him in the stomach and could also feel his cock coming back to life underneath Justin’s arse. 

Brian adjusted Justin on his groin and his now hard cock slipped into his lovers crack. They both felt it nudge Justin’s pucker with its head. Justin was gyrating on it before long; sliding forward to kiss Brain with all his might and then sliding back to nudge the cock along his crack and past his hole. Each time it ran over it, the head would get halted by the hole, clearly wanting to break the seal and slip inside. Both men knew they needed to stop but they couldn’t, continuing the dangerous movement over and over again. 

The grunting was becoming so loud it was almost echoing in the room and the windows were clogging up with steam. But both men were lost to the sensation. Brian tried to still the almost bouncing blonde by gripping his hips so hard he was sure there would be bruises. Bruises that would remain long after he left in the morning and this thought only caused his cock to grow impossibly harder. The thought of slipping inside Justin and leaving his seed inside him to spread through him long after he left in the morning was also impossible for him to ignore at that moment. He wanted it. Justin had wanted it for years. 

“Stop. Now.” Brian managed to gasp out in a tone that left Justin with no choice by to obey.

He sat on Brian’s lap panting. Both men’s chests heaving as they stared into each other’s eyes. Justin leant forward and grabbed a condom from the bedside table, reached behind him and slipped it down Brian’s long member. He leant back over to the table and squirted some lube onto his fingers, then ran it along Brian’s penis. He was still a little open from their earlier bouts after dinner so it didn’t take much for Brian to slip inside him when he rose up. 

Both men were so worked up that within a few strokes they were coming, Brian into the condom inside Justin and Justin all over Brian’s chest. They never lost eye contact the whole time. Even as they both just panted, one man lying and the other sitting, staring at each other. They couldn’t beak eye contact. Brian knew this was the closest he had ever come to doing it raw. 

He had never asked how things were when Justin was with the fiddler but it had plagued his mind before, “have you…”

Justin cut him off, knowing exactly what Brian was going to ask. “no, never, you said… Have you?”

Justin tapered off as he spoke, not sure if he was allowed to ask that question, in their entire relationship he had never been privy to certain private elements of Brian’s past. He watched the man just shake his head, still holding his eyes. 

Brian slapped his leg then in a sign that Justin needed to move. So he lifted up as Brian held onto his softening dick and the condom. Justin winced slightly as Brian pulled out and then shifted to lie beside his man, staring at the ceiling. Both men just looked up with no further words for each other on the matter.

“Thanks for the card.”

“Its joint, no need to thank me.”

With that the mood was broken and Brian rolled over and sat up, looking at his upturned suitcase on the floor. “Actually you can thank me by not ever knocking my clothes over again” he huffed.

Justin smiled again and got up to go to the bathroom.


	5. Chapter Five

6 December 2005

Justin had his interview at 10am on Tuesday morning at Sideshow, a gallery in Williamsburg that had a long standing reputation for supporting emerging talent; helping these artists to reach the NYC art community. Lindsay had a contact who knew the owner, Richard Timperio and so he had been lucky enough to get an in to meet with him and possibly get a job. Fortunately for Justin, Richard had seen his write up in ArtForum Magazine and was equally as keen to meet the freshly discovered artist. 

The interview went well and Justin was offered a part-time job, two and a half days every week and every second week he would do a half day on the Saturday or Sunday. The gallery was closed on Mondays and otherwise only open to public between 12pm and 6pm. He would therefore have the normal hours of 11am to 5pm on Tuesdays and Thursdays and 10am – 1pm on a Friday. He would sometimes be expected to help set up for and possibly attend special openings and showings that were outside normal hours, but Richard promised that on these occasions he would be paid extra for the assistance. The pay wasn’t much but it would allow him to get by and still spend the majority of his time on his own art work, something that Richard was also keen to support. The best thing was he would get to immerse himself in the art culture of the city and that would mean he would actually enjoy what he was doing. He was also tossing up the idea that he could find a casual waiting job on Mondays and pick up two or three night shifts a week also. He knew he could make it work. 

He had discussed with Richard his want to go home over Christmas and they both agreed that as the galleries current show would finish on the 17th and then the gallery would close for Christmas, it would be best that he started upon his return from Pittsburgh. Justin was happy with all the details he managed to work out with Richard and was looking forward to starting on Thursday 5th. Richard assured him that he would send an employment contract for him to review by the end of the week. 

After leaving the gallery he called Brian and left him a message to call him back but also let him know that he got the job and would be booking his trip home for Christmas and New Year’s once he was back at the house. He then called Lindsay and told her all about the job and thanked her profusely for setting up the interview. Lindsay had a few other questions on how NYC was so Justin stopped off to grab a latte and sat down in the small coffee place to fill her in on everything, from the representation, to the house, to Brian visiting and now the job. He was happy to report to her that things were going well and Lindsay was immensely proud of him for making the most of his opportunities. For her part she felt responsible for his separation from Brian and was determined to do all she could to support them both through this and make sure they could find a way to stay together. It was also on this call where Lindsay mentioned that they too were heading to the Pitts for Christmas.

After hanging up the phone, he had even more of a bounce in his step, knowing that he would see everyone in just a few short weeks; he had found a job, management and somewhere to live whilst he was in the city. He was determined to make this time apart from Brian worthwhile, so that he could get established and get back to him. Though he was also confident that the time apart was really only physical, they were still very much together – maybe even more so than they ever had been before. He was missing home though. He missed seeing Debbie every day, spending time with Daphne, laughing with Emmett over the newest piece of unreliable gossip, fleshing out ideas for the next Rage comic with Michael and mostly just being with his lover. 

Justin arrived home and was happy to note that the walk from the gallery in Williamsburg to his place in Bushwick was about 45 minutes at a leisurely pace. He had taken a bus into the interview and that had taken 25minutes, so he felt good about not having to rush to get around. He had also walked past quite a few small cafes, diners and some restaurants that he thought he could visit when he returned from Pittsburgh in the New Year to see if any were hiring new staff. 

He still hadn’t heard from Brian so he grabbed his laptop from his room and made his way down to the small sitting room on the first floor. He really enjoyed just sitting in the large armchairs in that room so he made himself comfortable, booked his flights home and shot an email off to his partner. 

_To: Brian.Kinney@Kinnetik.com_  
Cc:  
Subject: Successfully employed…  
________________________________________________________

_Hey Brian_

_I left you a message on your phone, but you haven’t replied so thought maybe I’d get through to you with an email ☺_

_I got the job. It is 2.5 days a week (Tuesday and Thursday 11-5 and Friday 10-1) and then a 10-1, 12-3 or 3-6 shift on either a Saturday or Sunday every other week. The owner of the gallery, Richard, was so great – he opened the gallery solely to give emerging artists a place to show their voice and now it’s one of the most popular in Brooklyn, maybe even New York! Even though he now gets known artists wanting to show there he still makes sure he gives time to the emerging ones. He even said he would be happy to look over more of my work and speak to Janice about possibly joining a show!! He seemed impressed with the pieces I took with me to the interview so I am feeling pretty good about everything. I really liked the guy._

_I am going to start there on the 5th. Richard is going to send the employment contract over this week, I will flick it on to you once I have it. If you could take a look for me that would be great. Blowjob offered by way of thanks…_

_I walked home from the gallery and it was only 45mins and pretty direct so I think once it is summer that might be nice and a good way to save money on the bus fare. I did stop off at a coffee shop on the way though, I had a really long chat to Lindsey, just catching up on everything. She said they are all coming home for Christmas too. I was thinking, and if you don’t want to that is fine, but maybe we could go and stay at the house and invite them to stay there too… Maybe we could have Christmas there – Emmet could decorate and Debbie could come over on the 24th and start cooking. It’s just a thought – ignore this if it is too lesbianic…_

_I saw some cafes and diners on the walk back too, was thinking I might look for a server job when I am back – just thinking it will supplement what I will earn from the gallery and help me not need to keep dipping into my savings… I also need to talk to Michael about the next edition of Rage, once that goes out the sales should supplement my expenses a little too._

_Oh and I also booked flights. I will forward you the reservation email next – I decided to come on the 22nd, arriving at 4pm and then my return flight is on the 3rd, I’ll need to be at the airport at 2pm. If you’re busy I can ask Daph or Mum to collect me and drop me off…_

_Love you!_

_Don’t work too hard!_

_Writing you this email has made me hard!_

_Thinking of you makes me hard!!_

_I’m hard!!!_

_J xx_

After he had sent the email, Justin sent another email off to Michael, asking when he would be free to go over ideas and a schedule for the next Rage and also to ask about the weekend in Canada. Whilst he was at it he thought he had better check in with his Mum and Daphne too so he sent off quick updates about the gallery job and flights for Christmas and then a final email to his agent to update her on the job at Sideshow and his trip home… By the time he had done all this it was nearly 3pm and there wasn’t much natural light left in the day so there was no point in getting back into the painting he had been working on. He headed up to his room instead to sketch out some ideas for future work on his computer and wait to hear back from someone. 

****************************************************************************************************

_To: JTaylor@msn.com_  
Cc:  
Subject: Re: Successfully employed…  
________________________________________________________

_Great news on the job._

_You better have used the card for the flights – that is what it is for._

_Will call soon – fucking art department!_

_Sent from my Blackberry©_

 

_To: JTaylor@msn.com_  
Cc:  
Subject: Re: Successfully employed…  
________________________________________________________

_Right, job, great. Don’t walk though – take the bus. It’s $2 for fucks sake._

_Hours sound good, could fit some visits home in on weekends you aren’t working. Why do you need another job? Justin, the account is there – use the card. You aren’t there to work yourself ragged and never paint. Do we need to have the conversation about asking for help again?_

_Whatever you want for Christmas is fine, but it’s on your head – I am accepting no responsibility for our house being turned upside down and you getting no sleep and Deb interrupting every time I try to bend you over._

_Got the flight details. I will be at the gate to meet you. Go back and add luggage – it will just be easier, plus knowing how much your Mummy and Debbie dearest miss their littlest Sunshine you will need the space for all your gifts on the way back._

_USE THE CARD!_

_Call me tonight – I will sort out your hard on._

Justin received the last email at 6pm so he knew Brian must still be at work and busy. There was no point in calling him straight away, though he did want to talk to his partner about everything, and collect on that promise to relieve his hard issue.

After finishing up the work he was now doing on his computer and stretching out his hand, flexing his fingers and massaging his palm he decided to take a hot shower before making some dinner. Brian had taken him to the grocers whilst he was there over the weekend so he had some nice foods in his cupboard and on his shelf in the fridge that he was looking forward to turning into something yummy and gorging on. As he thought about this his stomach grumbled and alerted him to the fact that since his latte and the muffin he picked up in the café he actually hadn’t eaten. 

He stripped down to his boxer briefs and headed to the bathroom, where he indulged in a long hot shower and a little pre-relief by stroking himself off whilst thinking about Brian almost pushing inside him raw on the weekend. Neither of the men had brought up what had happened between them but Justin knew at some point it would have to be addressed. They were no longer in the kind of relationship where shit got swept under the rug and never dealt with. That hadn’t worked out for them in the past and now that they were living in separate cities Justin was determined not to fall back into any old habits, no matter how much a topic may hurt one of them to discuss. 

After he had dried off and pulled on a clean pair of sweat pants, another pair of Brian’s that he had so kindly taken, making room in Brian’s cupboard to fit in new clothes. The man had a shopping addiction and Justin was only doing his part to support him by ensuring his wardrobe had space for new items. He giggled to himself at the thought. He then pulled on his PIFA hoodie and went downstairs to make himself some dinner. 

Jacob was in the kitchen already making some food so the two men prepared their meals and then ate together in the lounge room, whilst they watched some old Friends re-runs that were playing on the TV. They chatted a little about their weeks and Justin shared his good news about the Sideshow Gallery job. Jacob was really happy for his new friend and clapped him on the shoulder at the good news.

“When you get your first pay check we will go out for a drink to celebrate – your treat.” Jacob laughed as he made his way back in from the kitchen with a beer for each of them; clinking their bottles to toast to Justin’s new job. The two caught up on their Christmas plans, Jacob was taking Annabelle home to spend the festive period with his family in Seattle and was planning to be back at the house on the 8th. Annabelle would have to fly back on the 2nd as she had commitments with the ABC that week. Justin told how he was planning to have his family all come to his and Brian’s house and host their first Christmas. Jacob hadn’t heard all about the house before and was interested in knowing more.

Before he knew it, it was 9pm and Justin thought now might be a good time to call his lover and share further details about the job and make some firm plans for Christmas Day. When he got up to his room and checked his phone, which he had left on the charger, he saw he already had 3 missed calls from Brian and 1 voice message. No doubt it would be reaming him out for not answering his phone and what was the point of having it if he never had it on him. It was a regular statement made by the older man and every time he said it Justin felt a little happy inside knowing that his partner was wanting to talk to him that much that he let his guard down to berate him about it. 

He quickly listened to the voice mail – it was exactly as he had thought. Then he called Brian back, trying the loft first and thinking if the man wasn’t home he would call his mobile. 

Brian answered on the 2nd ring and huffed at him about having his phone on him, that he had had an important task that only Justin could attend to and because he hadn’t answered his stiffy had been wasted. Justin laughed at him and told him how he would have loved to have helped then but he was available now if his services were still required. This suggestion had both men quickly getting hard at the thought of the other one, so Brian took charge immediately and had them both stripped and lying on their respective beds whilst he talked Justin to an orgasm in just a few minutes. His own shortly followed suit. 

Whilst the two of them lay in the afterglow Justin filled Brian in more about the job and working hours and how it wasn’t so much that he desperately needed the extra cash that a café or diner job might provide it was just that he didn’t want to waste his savings when he had the time to do the extra work. Brian shot down all his reasons, stating that the money from the gallery and from future editions of Rage would be sufficient to keep him going until his art started selling and that their joint account would always be there to fall back on. Justin thanked him but reminded Brian again how he hadn’t contributed to the joint account, making it Brian’s money really. Brian was not happy with this assessment and let Justin know his thoughts and by the time they were drawing a line under that discussion it was agreed that the joint account was their money and they could both add and take from it as they saw fit within reason. Justin was shining his sunshine smile all over the place after the conversation and Brian could even hear the smile in the way the man was talking to him now about Christmas.

Brian said he had mentioned it when he met the gang at Woody’s for a drink before coming home, after work. Everyone seemed to be happy about the idea and Emmett was going to call Justin to go over what he wanted set up there. As he wasn’t getting in until the night of the 22nd, most of it would need to be prepared and ready at the house before then. Justin said he would call his Mum and Debbie the following morning to confirm things with them also. Brian was going to call Lindsay and see what she thought about the idea, though he was pretty sure it would be fine. 

The discussion about spending Christmas at the house led to debating the merits of whether they should make the house their main home. Justin said he didn’t have strong feelings on it either way as though he wanted to live at the house when he was in town he understood that Brian would be out there alone for most of the time and therefore being in the loft seemed more appropriate. The loft allowed him easier access to his friends and work. Brian huffed at this and said he didn’t like his friends having such easy access to him so that wasn’t a problem. If Justin wanted to live in their house they would live in their house. So the decision was made that Brian would get the house ready for a permanent move, but keep the loft for those nights where he might not make it back after a late meeting or drinks.

By the time their conversation was wrapping up Justin’s head was spinning with just how many topics they covered and that it may have been the longest conversation he had ever had with Brian in regards to the future and their relationship. It made him happy. But what made him really happy was Brian’s parting comment, after another round of phone sex was had. 

Just as they were hanging up Brian started in a low tone, “Justin.” Justin was immediately on alert; this tone was Brian’s extremely important statement one. “Don’t trip and stick your dick into anyone else. Again.”

Justin blinked hard. He couldn’t respond. He didn’t know what to say. He chocked out one word, “Ever?”

“Ever.”

Then there was just dial tone. 

Justin smiled to himself and had a sudden urge to spend some more time painting. A painting that would put his name on the lips of all art critics, gallery owners and patrons for years to come.


	6. Chapter Six

15 December 2005

Justin had been painting furiously, a piece that when Janice had visited to touch base on Monday, she had taken photos of furiously on her phone and had mentioned that she would be sending a professional photographer to take some more the following day. Which she did. 

Justin was a little baffled as the painting wasn’t even finished but Janice was sure that this particular piece wouldn’t need to be in order to garner attention. Justin knew it was good, could feel it in every stroke he put of brush to canvas, but to hear Janice speak of it as if it was going to launch his career made him feel so proud, especially knowing that this painting represented his love for Brian. 

Janice had called him that morning and arranged from him to meet her at a Williamsburg gallery that evening at 6pm. He was to dress smartly but not overly so, she wanted him to show his true self to the gallery owner. He had asked if he needed to bring anything, like his portfolio, and she assured him that the owner had already seen it. 

Justin had gotten off the phone from her and then rung Brian immediately. When his mobile rung out, he didn’t bother leaving a message, he needed to speak to his partner now. So he called through to Brian’s PA, Stacey, the women who took over from Cynthia when Kinnetik took off, and asked to be put straight through to Brian. Stacey tried to tell him that Brian was in a meeting but when he found out it was with Ted and Cynthia, Justin would not be deterred and insisted he be put through immediately. 

“What?”

“It’s me.” Obviously Stacey had patched him through but to save herself facing the beast had just put his call straight through rather than explain who was on the phone.

“You ok?” Brian asked slightly panicked. He knew Justin never insisted on being put through to him unless something big had happened. 

“Janice has asked me to go and meet her and a gallery owner tonight, she’s showed them my portfolio already and they want to meet me immediately.” Justin was rushing his words with excitement, he was so happy and so happy to share it with his lover. 

“What? Slow down.”

“Janice, has asked, me to go, and…”

“Right I got it.”

“Then why did you ask?” Justin mumbled under his breath… “Anyway, yeah so I have to look smart but not too smart and just be myself and this could be it, my break.” He finished with a flourish and a smile.

Brian’s face had too broken out into a smile and when he looked up he knew that his two employees were seeing behind his façade as a full time arsehole and into the side of him that only his Sunshine and son saw. He wiped the look off his face quickly and looked down. 

“I’ve got to get back but… I’m proud of you Sunshine.” He said quietly, the pride he felt coming through his voice in the little quiver it gave as he spoke.

“Brian?”

“Yeah?”

“I really love you.”

And with that Justin hung up. 

Brian looked back up into Ted’s face and knew his expression gave him away. He was just so proud of his boy and the feelings that rose up in him when he heard him say how much he loved him, now that he let himself feel them and accept them, they meant everything to him. Ted just smiled knowingly at his boss before changing the subject and discussing the December quarters billings. Brian was absent for the rest of the meeting though, his mind elsewhere as he clicked away from the spread sheet open on his laptop in front of him and onto the Hugo Boss website. 

Justin went back to his painting, turned his music all the way up, and sung out loud, happily, as he put the finishing strokes to it. 

A few hours later, at 3pm, he heard the doorbell to the house go off and knowing that he was home alone that day he made his way quickly down the stairs to see who was outside. When he pulled the door open he saw a young man, probably younger than him and a taxi idling on the street, door still open where the man had obviously jumped out. 

“Justin Taylor?”

Justin just nodded and accepted the suit bag that was thrust into his hand from the delivery guy, who then promptly turned and ran back into the taxi and took off. He looked at the Hugo Boss label on the front of the suit bag and slowly, still in shock, made his way back up to his bedroom. 

When he got there and opened the zipper of the bag he discovered a beautiful dark grey slim fit coat and a light blue cashmere sweater. As he was running his hands over the soft materials his phone rung.

Still in shock he answered, but before he could speak he heard Brian’s voice. “Wear them tonight, the sweater will be classy but casual and the jacket warm but on trend.”

“Brian…” Justin sighed, his love for the man he was talking to was overwhelming. 

“We celebrate achievements remember?”

Justin huffed a laugh as Brian said to call him after the meeting. 

 

*******************************************************************************************

 

Justin had dressed smartly in a snug fitting pair of chinos, a button up crisp white shirt, that you could only see the collar of over the top of the v neck sweater. He had then pulled on his navy sports coat and to dress it down a little put on his converse. As he pulled on his new Hugo Boss grey coat he couldn’t help but wish it was Brian that was wrapping around him to keep him warm. 

He slipped his wallet into the back pocket of his chinos and then his phone in the inner pocket of the coat and his headphones in his ears. It was only 5pm but Justin had decided he would walk to the meeting and therefore wanted to leave himself plenty of time, although when he had mapped it it said it would only take 50 minutes. 

He arrived at the Pierogi Gallery 5 minutes early and stepped inside to have a look around. There was obviously a show on tonight and the gallery was filled with young, trendy looking people milling around with wine in their hands and looking at striking, bright and bold paintings on the walls. He walked around the front area of the gallery, enjoying the paintings and also the people watching he was getting to do, but always keeping an eye on the door to see when Janice arrived. 

He spotted her enter a little after 6 and went to greet her. She wasn’t much for small talk and instantly ushered him to the stairs at the rear of the gallery and up toward what looked to be a loft style opening. At the top he found a small office space, consisting of 3 desks, a small kitchen nook and a lounge meeting area. A smartly dressed, though hip, women was seated on one of the lounges and stood to greet them.

“Janice, dear, so glad you could come.”

The two shared air kisses to the cheeks and then both turned to train their eyes upon Justin.

“Susan, this is Justin, my most talented artist.”

Justin shook Susan’s hand and was directed with a wave of her other hand to move to one of the couches. He then noticed that spread out on the small coffee table was a selection of photographs of his art, which Janice must have sent over to Susan. Right in the middle was a larger photograph of the canvas that he had just finished earlier that day. 

Susan seemed to gush over the work for a few moments, Janice jumping in to point out things here and there and Justin felt a bit like a third wheel even though it was his art work being discussed. Then Susan trained her eyes on him and asked him some very specific questions about a few of the pieces. What motivated this, why that colour stroke through that, what was the inspiration. He was used to getting asked this sort of thing when he had been at PIFA so was able to give comprehensive answers for all of his decisions.

Justin was also honest about the fact that his inspiration came from a number of places, three though were always at the forefront of his mind – 1. the knowledge that his talent, his desire to show the world through his eyes could just be ripped from him at any moment and that made him more determined to get what he ‘had to say’ down on canvas now, 2. That in art, all could be possible. Unlike in life, where there were limits placed on him by a variety of factors, including who would accept his art and what his own hand would allow him to produce and 3. Brian – who taught him every day that what he had to say was important and that any limits placed on him could be overcome. 

Both Susan and Janice were looking at him with big round eyes when he had finished his spiel. Susan then jumped into asking a variety of questions about each of his statements, wanting to know more about his hand and the bashing. She also got caught up hearing the story about him using his voice and his art against Stockwell and how far this had gone when Brian then used his money to further his fight and bring the corrupt police chief down. 

At some point in the discussion Susan had drinks brought up from downstairs and they were now freely chatting about other types of art and interests over a lovely glass of wine. Justin was sitting on the edge of his chair though; afraid to relax too much as he really, really wanted this to go well. 

“Well, I think there is only one question left for me to ask,” Susan finally stated, “Do you think you could be ready to join a show at the end of March?”

It turned out that another artist had pulled out of the show, having been offered another opportunity elsewhere at a larger gallery that they saw as better to their career progression. Pierogi would need 10 pieces from him by early March, of which they would choose between 4 to 7 to be shown. Two had already been decided though, one, the one he painted after the Babylon bombing – in fact it was the one he was working on the day Brian asked him to marry him in his rundown apartment. The second was the one he just finished. That was a non-negotiable for Susan; it had to be in the show. 

She mentioned that the painting was captivating and that was from a photo that wasn’t even the finished piece and she had asked Justin to describe his motivation for it. He told her vaguely of days when he thought things couldn’t work, days when he felt it would never be enough, he would never be enough and then there was moments of absolute joy that made all the questions worth it. And at the end of all the questioning, the terror and the joy came a moment of redemption, where all the broken pieces fell into place again and all the guilt was gone. She had asked for more specific relations between these moments and his life, but this was all he was willing to give. 

Susan was fascinated with the young man in front of her. He swept her away in his stories, even if they didn’t give too much information away. Yet she wanted more and she knew the patrons of her gallery and the entire art world deserved the chance to feel the same.

Justin left Janice to negotiate the finer points of the terms of the show and by 9pm he had been shown around the gallery downstairs by one of Pierogi’s employees and was ready to head home. He once again put his earphones in, wrapped his lovely coat around him and went out into the streets to walk back to the house, with a large smile on his face.


	7. Chapter Seven

He was going to wait until he was at the house before calling Brian to tell his the great news, but it was freezing cold on the walk so about 15 minutes into it he decided that calling his partner now would act as a distraction to the cold and make the walk go faster. 

“Hey.”

Justin let out a little sigh at hearing his partner’s deep baritone voice answering the phone. He had answered on the first ring, which meant he had obviously been waiting to hear from him. 

“Hey.”

“Well?”

“They want me to join a show at the end of March.” 

Brian could hear the smile on Justin’s face in his words and this brought a smile to his face too. 

“Of course they do.”

“How do you always believe in me that much?” Justin asked laughingly.

“You’re a genius. I’ve told you before.”

Justin was going over the conversation and the questions Susan had asked and the timeline he would need to stick to when he was suddenly knocked off his feet from the side. He was shoved into a dark alley and his phone went flying out of his hand and further into the alley. 

He felt himself hit the ground, hard. He was then picked up and flung into a wall, hard. He felt hands all over his body. Under the coat he was wearing, pulling at his tucked in shirt. He must have hit his head when he fell, or when he hit the wall, as his vision was blurred for a moment. When it cleared he was facing the wall and a hand was down the front of his pants touching his completely flaccid cock. It was the wrong hand. It felt rough, not like the hand he was used to knowing on his cock – the one that could make him hard before it even touched him. 

He realised what was happening and before his attacker could cover his mouth he began to scream. He let out one really loud, piercing scream as his attacker shoved his face into the wall in front of him. He felt his cheek scuff against it and the pain was immediate. He was shoved once more and his forehead came into contact with the wall this time. As he pulled back he felt the hot blood gush from above one eye down his face. 

The scream had at least stopped his attacker from continuing to fondle him. But not for long – both hands were now back on his hips and then he felt the man behind him bite down on the juncture between his neck and shoulder and suck hard. He knew it would leave another mark, but he was also aware he probably had quite a few bruises that would come up on his body due to this altercation. 

Suddenly and without warning the man behind him was shoved off him and Justin could breathe freely again. His arms weren’t restrained and he could turn around. Which he did very slowly as his head was spinning. He could hear a few grunts behind him and then he saw two men scuffling. One was a well-dressed older male and one a younger scruffy looking man. 

Justin heard sirens. The well-dressed man looked up at the noise and tried to break away and run, but the scruffy, younger guy wasn’t letting him go. 

Two policemen were suddenly on the scene and after quickly examining the situation grabbed the two fighting men and held them apart – putting handcuffs on both of them. The well-dressed man had his pants open and Justin then knew it was this man who was attempting to attack him. The police were able to establish what had happened fairly quickly. Justin was still standing in shock and hadn’t spoken at all as he heard the scruffy man describe that he heard the scream from further down the alley where he had made his home for the night and then came out to see what was happening. He had intervened and saved Justin from what could have been an awful event, not that it wasn’t anyway. 

Justin seemed to snap out of his daze and remembered he had been on the phone to Brian when he had been pushed. He quickly looked around and saw the light of the front of his phone still on down the alley a little ways. He slowly made his way over to it and picked it up.

He could hear Brian screaming. He sounded horse, like he had been screaming for hours.

“Br, Br, Brian?” Justin stuttered into the phone.

“Jesus. Justin. What’s happened? Are you ok?” Brian could barely breath, he couldn’t think. He was in pure panic mode. He had been listening to the whimpering and screaming and scuffling for the last, what seemed like hours, but the display on his phone told him was about 8 minutes. 

He then heard a policeman speaking to Justin and before he could ask any more questions he was being spoken to directly by the man.

“Sir? This is constable Parish, are you related to the young man who owns this phone?”

“Yes. He’s my fiancé.” Brian was still finding it hard to think or breath. 

“We are going to have him taken to the Brooklyn Hospital Centre. Do you know where that is?”

Brian’s whole face went pale. Justin was hurt, he needed the hospital, and he wasn’t there with him. Shit.

“I will find it.”

“What’s your name, we will give them your details and let them know you are coming.”

Brian explained that he was currently in Pittsburgh, but that he would be on a flight as soon as he could. He gave them his name and mobile number and just in case they needed it at the hospital told them Justin’s insurance number. 

When he hung up he immediately called the car service and was informed he could be picked up in 20 minutes. He began throwing some things in a bag before going over to his computer to quickly look for flights. There was one leaving Pittsburgh International at 10.55pm. It was currently 9.35pm, car would be there at about 9.45 and he could be at the airport by 10.20. He booked it. If there was traffic on the way there was going to be hell to pay.

Just as he finished printing off his boarding pass his phone rung to tell him the car was downstairs. He grabbed his bag, his wallet, phone and keys and a coat and was out the door. He had to get to his Sunshine. He just had to get there now.


	8. Chapter Eight

Brian arrived at the hospital just after 1am. He had never experienced a worse flight. There were no delays thankfully, but that didn’t matter, he was on edge the whole time. He’d been afraid that he would miss a call from Justin or the hospital whilst he was in the air. Luckily when he turned his phone on there were no missed calls. 

The nurse at the front station had been informed he would be coming and let him know that Mr Taylor would not be needing to stay the night but was being kept in a bed until he arrived. Brian was shown to the ward Justin was on and the curtain that was around him was pulled back.

When the curtain was pulled open Justin, who had been dozing, quickly looked up and was so relieved to see Brian standing there. Justin had only ever seen such a look of torment on the other man’s face one other time, in Babylon, surrounded by debris. 

Brian quickly went to Justin’s side and took his hand. His eyes sweeping up and down his partner’s body; noting all the injuries that were visible. He could see a large scrape on his cheek – just surface damage apparently. A cut above his eye that had required 2 stiches to close. A bite mark on his neck that looked nasty and was a deep purple, almost black colour but hadn’t appeared to have broken any skin. Still, Brian could almost count all the teeth marks within the bruise. It sickened him that someone could do this to his Sunshine and an involuntary shiver when through his body. 

Brian hadn’t said anything since he arrived with Justin and for the moment was just content taking in that his partner was there, alive and didn’t look too injured. The doctor came in then with the discharge paper work for Justin to sign and it was at this time that Brian found out that it wasn’t an attempted mugging but rather Justin had suffered a sexual assault. Brian’s body went rigid. He looked again at Justin whose eyes had watered at the mention of the assault and thought he may vomit at the news. He reached his hand up to Justin’s face, looking into his eyes, catching a tear with his thumb and softly wiping it away.

The doctor was explaining just how lucky Justin had been. The would be rapist had been interrupted by a well-intentioned homeless man who came to Justin’s rescue. He let them both know that the police would likely be in touch further as the man had been arrested. Justin was now free to go. 

After the doctor left, Brian helped Justin to stand up and to put his coat back on. The two men still didn’t talk, as Brian put his arm around Justin’s shoulders and led him out to the foyer of the hospital. Once there he asked the security guard to order them a taxi and when it arrived he put Justin into the back seat and joined him there, putting his arm back around the young man. He gave the taxi driver the address of the house and then rested his head atop of Justin’s, where it was using his shoulder as a pillow. 

Both men stayed silent until they were up in Justin’s bedroom, where they stood directly in front of each other just staring at one another. 

Brian tenderly reached out and touched the wound above Justin’s right eye, it was swollen and he could tell that by the morning Justin likely wouldn’t be able to see out of the eye at all. His fingers traced down the side of Justin’s cheek, just missing the graze, also on the right side of his partner’s face. He stopped at his neck and looked at the bandage covering the bite mark on the left side. He could still see the angry welts and bruising in his mind’s eye. 

Brian was feeling really emotional, touching a beat up Justin. He should have been here. He should be with him, protecting him.

As if reading his mind Justin spoke softly, “This isn’t your fault – this could have happened anywhere, even if I was on my way home to the loft after a shift at the diner.”

Brian sighed, he knew this – he did. But at the moment it didn’t matter. He just wanted to wrap Justin up in his arms, tuck them both into bed and never face the world again. Or better yet, take Justin back to their home in West Virginia and lock him in there – like a beautiful Prince, kept safe behind the palace gates. He finally nodded to Justin and looked him in the eye, a delayed response to his comment. 

“I want to shower.” 

Brian nodded again, “Can I join you?” He asked really shyly. He didn’t want to push Justin, but he also didn’t want to leave his side right now. 

“Of course.” Justin said, it was never in doubt for him that he wanted Brian there. 

Brian helped Justin divest of his coat and sports jacket before gripping the hem of his shirt and jumper to pull them up and over Justin’s head. At this time he became aware of another large bruise forming on his side. At straightening his arm Justin also realised his elbow was particularly sore.

Justin let out a little hiss and Brian touched his right arm to see what caused the pain.

“It’s bruised and looks a little puffy too.”

“I knocked it when I fell.”

Brian was struggling to keep his anger in check. It wasn’t directed at Justin, just at the situation, so it wasn’t fair to take it out on the man in front of him. So he moved on to unbuckling Justin’s belt and releasing each of the buttons on his pants. He squatted down to pull both the chinos and Justin’s briefs down. Whilst he was down there he also helped Justin slip off his converse and took off the man’s socks. When he stood back up he saw the fingerprint bruises on Justin’s hips. His boy did bruise easily, but to leave these deeper marks in such a quick time told him of just how hard he must have been held. Brian felt sick again at the thought. 

The two of them had often played with bondage and restraints and just a few short days ago Brian was happy to leave marks on Justin’s skin but looking at these bruises, almost welts, on Justin’s usually unblemished, porcelain skin made him think he would never be able to restrain the man again. He used to love marking Justin, seeing the marks days later, knowing that anyone else that saw them would also know that he belonged to someone, belonged to him. Now, looking at them, he never wanted another mark to be left on Justin’s skin, by him or anyone. 

Brian took Justin’s hand and lightly tugged him towards the bedroom door. Opening it and looking out into the small hall to make sure Christophe wasn’t out there, he pulled Justin along behind him; shielding him from being seen by being in front of him. Once they were in the bathroom, Justin was still just standing still, very much like he was in shock. So Brian turned the water on and tested it to make sure it was a suitable temperature before ushering Justin forward and under the spray. He then disposed of his own clothes, letting them drop to the floor and not bothering to pick them up and fold them as he would usually do. 

He quickly followed Justin into the shower and picked up Justin’s loofah and soap bar. He lathered the sponge up and began to softly wash all over Justin’s body, wanting him to feel clean and safe. Justin slowly came back to life whilst they were in the shower, seeming to realise for the first time since Brian saw him at the hospital where he was and what was happening. 

Justin raised his piercing cornflower blue eyes to look directly into Brian’s before just breaking down and sobbing. Brian caught him in his arms before the man’s knees gave out and held him up. He couldn’t hold him as tightly as he wanted to due to the bruising on his left side, but he managed to support them both. Whispering words of comfort in Justin’s right ear, telling him that he would be ok, that they would be ok together, that he wasn’t alone and never would be again. Brian made this vow to himself as well – Justin would never be alone again, he was never again to feel like he was facing this world alone. 

After a few more minutes in the shower and once Justin had stopped crying and gotten his breathing back under control, Brian shut the water off and pulled the young man out of the stall. He grabbed Justin’s towel and started to softly wipe his lover down. Once he was mostly dry he wrapped the large bath towel around his shoulders. Brian then turned and pulled a towel out of the cupboard in the wall that he saw Justin get one out of just a few days prior, when he was here under better circumstances. He grabbed the one that matched Justin’s towel, knowing that they were a pair and therefore belonged to Justin. 

Brian dried himself off quickly, wrapped his towel around his slim waist and then put his hands on either side of Justin’s upper arms and directed him to open the bathroom door and head back into his bedroom. Once in the room he took Justin’s towel, dropping it onto his side of the bed. He then pulled the blankets back on Justin’s side and directed his partner to crawl into the bed. Once he was tucked in he kissed his forehead and told him he would be back soon. 

Brian grabbed the wet towel from the bed and headed back to the bathroom, grabbing his clothes from the floor and hanging both towels up. He then sauntered back into Justin’s bedroom – not caring if anyone saw him walking naked in the hall. Once he was back in the room, he closed and locked the bedroom door, hung his clothes and the ones he stripped off Justin earlier on the back of the desk chair. He grabbed his coat and both of Justin’s and hung them up on hangers in the built in and then joined his lover in bed. Justin was facing Brian’s side, so the two men were looking directly into each other’s eyes. 

The silence was palpable but neither wanted to break it. Eventually Justin lent in and lightly kissed Brian’s lips before shifting a little closer to the older man and closing his eyes to go to sleep. Brian stayed awake for a long time, staring at the love of his life, running his fingers lightly through his still damp hair. Eventually he too drifted off into slumber. 

Neither man slept well but they did make it through the night. There had been some tossing and turning, but Brian was always touching Justin in some way and just being close to each other ended up being enough to keep any nightmares at bay.


	9. Chapter Nine

In the morning, Justin awoke slowly, to find himself lying on Brian’s chest, head resting right above his heart. He could tell from Brian’s breathing that the man was awake, but was lying still to allow him to rest comfortably. He pulled away a little and looked up into Brian’s eyes, “Make me yours. Please?”

Brian was never one to deny Justin anything, but he needed to be sure that this was the right thing to do, “Are you sure?”

“Yes. Absolutely. I want to just feel your hands on my body again.”

Brian slowly rolled Justin onto his back and settled between the V created where his legs fell apart. He rolled his hips, bringing some friction between his cock and Justin’s, both were half hard simply from their morning wood already. It didn’t take too many rolls to bring them both to full attention, the whole time Brian continued to look directly into Justin’s eyes, wanting him to know who he was here with. 

“Justin. Listen to me, are you listening?”

Justin nodded mutely.

“You will always be mine; your body will always be mine. I love you so much. So very much.” Brian’s voice cracked over the last few words, not because he struggled to say them as he had used to, but because they meant so much to him now and he really needed Justin to feel that when he heard them.

A few tears escaped Justin’s eyes and ran down the sides of his face. Brian leant forward and up a little and licked the paths they took, one side and then the other. He then started kissing all over Justin’s face, treasuring the young man in his arms; so thankful that they were here together. 

The slow rolls of their hips were continuing and the atmosphere in the bedroom was so intense, due to the slow deliberate motions of both men. They were determined to show each other their love through their movements in this moment that everything action seemed slow and important. They continued with their light kisses, both of them kissing any piece of the other man that they could reach. 

Brian was resting some of his weight on his elbows, now on either side of Justin’s head. He was toying with Justin’s long hair with one of his hands, twisting it in his fingers. They were both practically dry humping now, so turned on in the moment. 

Brian reached to the bedside table and opened the draw, the shift in his body causing his hard cock to bump against Justin’s in a different way and Justin’s sighed in pleasure, his own cock jumping from the feeling. Brian grabbed a condom and some lube from the drawer and returned to his position between Justin’s legs. He sat back on his feet, resting on his calves, looking Justin in the eye as he unrolled the condom down his nine and a half inch cock, which was standing to full attention against his stomach. 

“If you are in pain in anyway, let me know and we will try a different position. Ok?”

Justin nodded. His own hand had begun playing with his cock, jacking it up and down, the moment he had watched Brian open the condom. 

Brian squirted some lube onto his fingers and reached down to Justin’s backside. He ran his fingers lightly up and down his crack, over his small puckered hole and continuing passed it. He added more lube to his fingers and continued to do this motion. Occasionally he would stop at Justin’s entrance and push slightly against the resistance of his opening, letting a finger play just inside his rectum. He then, without warning shoved two fingers in together. Justin groaned out loud, happy to feel his lover’s fingers playing inside him. 

Brian opened Justin up with his two long fingers, brushing against his prostate every now and then. By the time Brian’s thumb had started massaging Justin’s perineum from the outside as well, Justin was a withering mess, putty to Brian’s will. With his other hand Brian managed to squeeze some lube onto his covered cock and then smeared it around. He took his cock in his free hand and put it at the entrance of Justin’s anus. 

Shuffling in a little, wrapping one of Justin’s legs around his hip and bending the other up towards Justin’s chest, Brian leaned over the young man. He rested his weight back onto his elbow up near Justin’s head. He used the hand on his engorged cock to direct it straight past Justin’s resistance and into his anal passage. Moving his hips backwards and forwards he slowly breached all the way inside, all of his nine and a half inches pushed up inside his lover as his balls slapped against his naked arse. 

Justin had closed his eyes as the feelings overwhelmed him. God he loved when he was full of Brian’s cock. When it felt like he could almost feel it poking him in his stomach. He felt so full, so loved.

“Open your eyes Justin.”

Justin followed the command and looked directly into Brian’s usually hazel eyes that were now almost black with lust and pleasure. Brian lowered his lips to Justin’s, neither man closing their eyes as they kissed and bucked against each other. They were bringing each other to the brink over and over again before backing off to shallow thrusts whilst they calmed down and began the climb once more. 

Finally, when Justin couldn’t take anymore his slapped Brian’s buttocks to let him know he was ready and Brian began jack hammering away into his now open hole. He felt him everywhere, in every pore of his body, Brian owned him, loved him. Justin loved it and Brian felt exactly the same. The two men came together, looking each other straight in the eyes as one shot all over his stomach and chest and the other deep inside his lover. 

It was just what they both needed after the night they had had. 

 

***********************************************************************************************

 

When Justin woke up again that day, he was alone in bed, but he was feeling so much better about himself. Though thinking about what had happened the night before still brought instant tears to his eyes he felt better now that he felt reattached to his partner. He lay in the bed and listened to keys clicking on a laptop, knowing Brian was sitting at his desk top most likely working. 

When he sat up, Brian immediately stopped typing, spun in his chair and came over to sit in front of Justin on the bed. 

“You ok?”

“Yeah,” he nodded. “I am so glad you’re here.”

“I wouldn’t be anywhere else – you are my priority.”

Justin blushed and smiled softly. This look caused Brian to run his fingers down Justin’s unmarked cheek, cupping his face and bringing him in for a soft kiss. 

“What are you doing?”

“Just sending some work emails, letting Ted and Cynthia know I am here with you…”

Justin interrupted him, “you didn’t tell them what happened did you?”

“No Justin. I will leave that up to you, what you want to tell people.”

Justin sighed in relief. “I know I can’t hide that something happened, I just don’t want to talk about it with everyone.” Brian nodded in understanding. “Maybe we could just tell them that there was an attempted mugging, they don’t need to know the rest?”

Justin looked up at him, seeking his approval. Brian gave it without any need for further thought.

“Like I said, whatever you need.”

Justin moved into Brian, slowly climbing into his lap. He hadn’t wanted to be held like this since he had been recovering from the bashing, this was an indication to Brian that even though he was handling things well, he was still very much affected by what had happened. That what had happened wouldn’t just go away. Brian held him in his arms, swaying him a little in a soothing motion, much like he did with Gus when he wanted him to fall asleep. 

Eventually Justin disentangled himself from Brian and stood. He pulled on some sweatpants and motioned to the bathroom so that Brian would know where he was going outside. Brian nodded and moved back to the computer to continue with his emails. He needed to send through a list to his right hand man and women of what needed to be handled in his absence. Lucky for him it was a Friday and therefore they would only need to survive a day without him before the weekend. He let them know he wasn’t to be contacted unless it was an absolute emergency and that he would let them know on Sunday if he would be in on Monday. 

When Justin came back into the room, he went straight over to Brian and sat down again on his lap. 

“I was thinking that maybe we could head home together. Today.”

“You’re sure? Don’t you have some painting to do?”

“I will call Janice, explain. I can paint at the house.”

“I’ll rebook your flight and get us out of here tonight ok?”

Justin nodded and then stood to allow Brian to get on with making the arrangements. He picked up his phone, seeing it was only 8.30am and decided it was still a little early to call Janice. So instead he pulled out his duffle bag and began packing it with some clothes and then downloading and printing some of the recent sketches he had been working on on his computer. 

Brian came over behind him, not wanting to scare him, he coughed a little so that he would know he was there. Justin turned and looked up at him from his seat in front of his computer.

“Flight is at 3.30pm. I’ve booked a car to collect us at 1.30pm so we should have plenty of time to get there.”

Justin nodded and smiled a little. Brian bent down and kissed him first on the forehead and then the cheek, before also pecking him on the lips. Justin smiled at him as he pulled away. He was happy that Brian was there to take charge of things. 

He turned back to his computer and could hear Brian in the background talking on the phone to someone, organising things at the house. He heard him asking for sheets to be delivered, plates and some groceries. Justin knew that the house was fully furnished as they had ordered the furniture before they cancelled the wedding. It was so nice to now know that they were going to have everything there and could go straight there from the airport this afternoon. 

Once Brian was off the phone and felt like he would have everything at the house to get them through at least this weekend he hung up and started looking around and the various pieces of art that Justin had been working on since he got to New York. When he came across the redemption painting that Justin had described to him on the phone his breath was taken away. He stood there, staring at it leaning against the wall. He wanted to reach out and touch it as it drew him in so much.

When Justin noticed what Brian was staring at he got up and moved over to stand next to his lover. 

“You know, when the police asked me if we were related, I told them you were my fiancé.”

Justin turned from the painting to look at Brian. Brian just continued to stare at the beautiful artwork in front of him. Something about it made him want to open up and tell Justin this, a story he would usually never share unless under duress. 

“You are you know. Whether we wear the rings, whether we get married, I asked you to marry me and I meant it. You are my fiancé. We are family.”

Justin threw his arms around Brian from the side, bursting into tears again. He didn’t know whether the tears were just related to Brian’s revelation or whether they were also partly caused by the pain he felt when he so abruptly moved his swollen arm and crushed his side into Brian’s body. Either way, Brian turned in Justin’s arms and wrapped his back around his lover, holding him close to his body, so thankful that he could and that what happened the night before to Justin hadn’t ended any worse.


	10. Chapter Ten

Justin called Janice at around 11am and explained what had happened. He then let her know that he would be going home to Pittsburgh a few days early to recuperate and that she shouldn’t worry as he had a studio to paint in at his house. He smiled up at Brian as he mentioned their house. Brian smiled back reservedly before going back to the email he was answering at his laptop. 

After Justin hung up from the call with Janice he decided there was one other person, on a professional level, that needed to know about what happened last night. Just in case he needed any legal support, he didn’t know what the police were planning to do but he knew his attacker had been arrested, he would need to tell Melanie.

“Hey baby.”

“Hey Mel.”

Brian looked up at this name coming from him lover’s lips, interested in why he was talking to her. He could only hear Justin’s side of the conversation but could hear him outlining the whole incident to her and how Brian was now here with him and that they were heading back to Pittsburgh that afternoon. Justin spoke to Mel for about 20 minutes and gave her the details on the card of the policeman he had spoken to at the scene and at the hospital the night before. Justin later relayed to Brian that Melanie said she would call the police station handling the crime immediately and let them know that any information should be passed through her. Both Justin and Brian really appreciated this. Brian only wanted Justin to deal with what was absolutely necessary; it was just another way for him to protect his blonde. 

After they were both done with their phone calls and Brian had finished emailing through more directions to his employees they made their way downstairs with their bags. They were sitting on the couch together in silence, just pressed into each other’s sides whilst Justin rested his head on Brian’s shoulder and Brian played with his hair. 

Brian had mentioned getting some food in the kitchen but Justin wasn’t really hungry and Brian understood this. In truth, he wasn’t hungry either. Both men just wanted to get behind the large gates at Britan, lock themselves in together and feel safe again. 

When the car arrived, they went outside and straight into the backseat, still sitting close together all the way to the airport. Once they were checked in they went to sit in the first class lounge, obviously even though it was only a short flight Brian could not slum it in economy. They sat close on a couch there too, neither one getting any food or even reading the paper. They just sat in silence, happy to be together but sad that the night before had happened. Brian knew that it would take some time before his Sunshine came back, but he would be there no matter what. 

The flight went by quickly. Brian did some work on his laptop and Justin snoozed in the large seat beside him. If Justin could have he would have lifted the arm rest in-between them and put his head in Brian’s lap to sleep, but these arm rests didn’t move so he couldn’t. Brian had made sure, once Justin was asleep, that a blanket was provided which he tucked in around him so he didn’t get cold. Every now and then he would find his eyes straying from the screen in front of him to check on his partner, just making sure that he was really there and safe. 

Another car met them at the Pittsburgh airport and took them directly to Britan. When they got there Justin saw that another car was already in the driveway and the front door was wide open. Justin looked at Brian curiously, not wanting to be seen by anyone just yet – especially not someone from the family. 

“It’s ok, it is just Stacey. I asked her to pick up some sheets and groceries so that we could be comfortable here for the weekend. Stay in the car.”

Brian hoped out and spoke a few words to the driver who had also exited the vehicle. Justin was aware that the driver was unloading the bags and he watched through the closed car window as Brian entered the house and shortly after the driver followed him. Justin watched the door intently, waiting for someone to come back out. The driver did and walked back around towards the front of the car where Justin thought he was having a cigarette. 

Brian exited the house and Justin watched him say a few things to Stacey before she got in the car in front and pulled away. Brian then opened the back door to the car and waited for Justin to get out. Whilst Brian was tipping the driver Justin stood on the front stair and waited for Brian to join him so they could go inside together. Justin watched on the security screen beside the front door alarm as the car exited the estate and the iron gates closed behind it. Both he and Brian finally took a deep breath and relaxed. 

Justin looked at his watch and realised it was just after 5.45pm and he was feeling slightly hungry now, so he made his way into the kitchen and opened the fridge. It was fully stocked with a lot of both of their favourites, which meant there was plenty for him to consider for the menu for tonight’s dinner. Brian had followed him into the room and had a coy smile on his face, just happy to see his Sunshine making himself at home in their house. 

 

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Brian had been out to the house quite a lot since Justin had moved to New York. He had been overseeing the renovations of a few rooms and the delivery and placement of furniture. The kitchen and bathrooms, particularly the ensuite off their master bedroom had needed a few modernisations to be carried out. Other than that though the house was in very good condition and had a lovely flow to it when they purchased it so there wasn’t any major works that needed to be done. 

Though quite a lot of work had been carried out in the study and conservatory that came off the back lounge and kitchen area on the ground floor. Brian had had the conservatory enlarged and added a small wet area with a bench, basin and a glass shower. This room was going to be Justin’s sanctuary, his studio. It was all glass and this meant that it was exposed to wonderful natural light. Brian had had shutters installed though that at the press of a button could come out across the glass roof, allowing Justin to manage the lighting when he needed too. He also had curtains installed that Justin could pull around the glass walls if necessary. The view out over the back gardens made the room feel like it was a part of its beautiful, natural surroundings and this was the room Justin knew he would feel most inspired in, so Brian had done whatever he thought necessary to turn it into a perfect studio. 

The conservatory had been in two parts, one the glassed area and it was completely open to what was probably used as a library in the past. Brian had a stud wall inserted that split the two rooms and turned the library into his home office. It had a fire place and was full of dark mahogany wood that he had found a beautiful large desk to fit in with the motif. Putting his office here also meant that when Justin was in his studio, he could be in his study and they would be right next to each other, working. 

After dinner they moved into the den and lit the fire, snuggling together on the large couch that had been selected for the room. It didn’t take long for the snuggling and light touches to turn into more and before either knew it they were making out like teenagers, rolling on the couch. Brian had slipped his fingers into the waist band of Justin’s cargos and was slowly tugging on the blonde’s cock to bring it to full hardness. They were both panting in-between their heated kisses, nipping at each other’s lips whenever one would pull away to breath. 

Brian suddenly sat up and pulled Justin with him, leading him up the stairs and to the master bedroom. In the room a large super king-size four poster bed with an oversized dark purple velvet headrest had been made up with pillows and a thick feather down quilt and throw. It looked so inviting that when Justin flung himself down onto it and sunk into the quilt he sighed at the softness and comfort that enveloped him. 

Justin shuffled back on the bed as he watched Brian disrobe. Once naked, Brian made his way over to him and helped him out of his clothing as well. Brian then crawled up onto the bed and over his partner, condom in hand; retrieved from his pants pocket before he discarded them. Both men were so turned on by the foreplay downstairs that now they were in their bed for the first time it was straight to the main event. 

Brian had no lube with him so he spat on his fingers first and added one and then two to Justin’s tight arsehole. He was sitting back again, resting on his calves and feet, watching his fingers disappear in and out of Justin’s little, pink anus. He leant a little down and spat again on Justin crack and watched it dribble down to his hole, where his fingers pushed this extra lubricant into Justin’s rectum. Brian started scissoring his two fingers and once he was satisfied that Justin was sufficiently stretched he placed his cock at his hole and pushed. 

Brian slid into Justin’s rectum, feeling all Justin’s muscles in his passage contract around his sensitive cock. He loved that feeling, Justin enveloping him inside his body. He pumped in and out a few times, bringing them both quickly to the brink, running the tip of his cock over Justin’s bundle of nerves repeatedly. Justin was arching up off the bed, mewling like a kitten from the pleasure. 

“Going to cum. Want to cum.” Brian started saying incoherently.

“Do it Brian, cum. Take me with you.” 

Brian reached down and gripped Justin’s hard, red cock and pumped it once, twice and then a third time. Justin’s cum came out over his belly. Brian pulled out of Justin’s arse and then ran his covered penis through the hot cum now on his partner’s stomach, coating his cock in it, before pushing it back inside his lover’s hole. 

“Just imagine when this will be my cum coating my cock inside your hole.” Brian whispered in-between panting breathes into Justin’s ear. This thought alone made some more cum spurt from Justin’s penis and made him constrict his rectal passage tightly around the cock inside him. Brian let out a guttural moan as his own orgasm was ripped from his body, flowing into the condom he was wearing and splashing back against his penis. 

The two lay there in the aftermath, catching their breathes and Justin running his right hand up and down Brian’s back, enjoying that he was still full with his partner’s cock – as he loved to be. Just before they fell asleep that way Brian rolled off of Justin, discarded the used and full condom and had Justin shuffle up the bed so that he was facing the right way. He headed into their bathroom and ran a hand towel under hot water, bringing it back and handing it to Justin to clean himself up. Whilst the blonde was doing this Brian picked up their clothes and put them away in their dressing room. 

Brian then took the towel from Justin, cleaned himself up a little and threw it back into the bathroom, not caring where it landed. He joined Justin on the bed and tucked them both in. Justin settled on his chest and easily slipped off into slumber. Once he was sure Justin was resting peacefully Brian too was able to relax, maybe for the first time since he had realised what was happening on the other end of the phone the night before.


	11. Chapter Eleven

The two men had spent the weekend alone at the house. Brian had reached out to Debbie and Mikey and told them the abbreviated version of what had happened to Justin. Both wanted to visit but they respected that Justin wasn’t up to visitors yet and sent their love. Debbie would come over on Monday night and make dinner for them both and Justin was going to speak to his mum and invite her to join them too. 

Brian had left Justin in his fully stocked studio on Saturday afternoon and headed back to the loft to pick up some clothes for the work week and just to lounge around in. He also grabbed anything else he thought he might need over the next little while, knowing he would be at the house the whole time Justin was here with him. He tidied up a little, as he had left in such a rush on Thursday night that he had not had time and then he locked up and left the loft for the next two or so weeks. 

Brian stopped in at the diner to pick up some take away food to bring back to Justin. He knew it would likely be cold by the time he got home but they could reheat it and Justin loved the shit food it served. It also gave him a chance to chat to Deb and really confirm that Justin was doing ok after his attempted ‘mugging’. Deb really did want to just jump in the corvette and head over to the house with him but she respected Justin enough to not impress on him at a time like this, knowing how he had been after the bashing with people and crowds. 

The weekend turned out to be just what Justin had needed and the time with Brian assured him that he was still himself and though this terrible thing had happened to him, just like in his redemption painting, he could not be made to stay broken. His resilience confirmed even further with Brian just why it could only ever be Justin that could take his breath away, make his heart beat faster and make him believe in the happily ever after. Brian knew it would take some work, but he also trusted that he and Justin could and would do it. 

19 December 2005

When Brian returned to work on the Monday, Justin was left with his laptop and decided to do some damage to the joint card he and Brian now had. He ordered some clothes that he could have delivered to the house and leave here for any trips home in the future. He also needed some clothes that he could mess with paint whilst he was here. He then moved on to finding nice plates and cutlery that they could have here and nice glassware. He needed to make sure they had enough for when the entire family visited, especially for Christmas. 

After walking around the house and acquainting himself with each of the rooms he now also knew just what other soft furnishings were needed. They had to get some cushions for the sofa’s, towels for themselves and the spare bathrooms, quilts and blankets, pillows, bedspreads – basically everything to kit out the house, especially as they had guests coming. 

The house had 7 bedrooms on the second floor and an attic space that had planning permission to be converted into two further bedrooms and a bathroom should they wish, or they could convert it into a theatre room or games room. Justin wasn’t rushed to make a decision on that. They had a very large TV screen in both the lounge and den downstairs and that would be enough to entertain the family over Christmas. All the bedrooms were furnished but needed the final touches to be put to them to make them like a home away from home for guests and that was what Justin was giving himself as a mission for the week. 

He started with the main guest bedroom, which also had its own ensuite and in any other house would probably be a master bedroom due to its size. It had a walk in robe and enough space in the actual bedroom to have a small sitting area, which Brian had made sure, was decorated tastefully with a plush armchair, footrest and chaise. The bed was a king with a simple wooden bed head and just needed to be made up. Justin noticed there was also a beautiful white vintage canopy cradle in this room which he was sure was for JR when the girls were here. This made sense as he had noticed that in the ensuite there was also a removable wooden changing table. 

The third bedroom was also quite large and had a small racing car double bed in it. This would be Gus’ room. It had been decked out with a desk, built in robes and an entertainment system with a PlayStation. Justin had wanted to paint a mural on the wall and was hoping that he would have time to do so before Gus arrived on the 24th. He was going to cover one entire wall in what would look like a race track and make it look like the race car bed was a part of race that was going on. He would get started on it the moment he had placed all the orders he needed to make. 

The fourth and fifth rooms were large-ish and both had lovely queen beds in the centre of the rooms and two bedside tables with built in wardrobes as well. One had a lovely vintage dresser against one wall and poof seat at it. The other didn’t have a dressing table but had a small loveseat facing the room, sat under the window. The sixth room was the same size as the other two and was set up in exactly the same way, except that it had a large desk with a standing mirror on it. The final bedroom was smaller, it had two king single beds and a bedside table for each. It didn’t have a built in robe though and instead had a free standing double door wooden robe. 

There was one more bedroom on the ground floor that was once again very large, almost as large as the second guest room and also had its own ensuite. It had another king bed in it and Justin knew that this room was definitely set up for Debbie and Carl. No matter how many times Brian grumbled about her interfering in his life, Debbie was and always would be the only mother he would ever really have. Justin knew that Brian fully intended to look after her in her old age, which was creeping up on them all. The fact that he had prepared the downstairs room also meant that she and Carl would never really need to ascend the stairs, which in later years would be more convenient if one of them was struggling as many pensioners do. 

Once all the house orders were placed, Justin went into Gus’ room and began mapping out what he would need to complete his mural. He then went through the stocks Brian had gotten in for his studio and placed another online order for the other things he would need. He got straight to work sketching it out first in his sketch pad and then began transferring his vision onto the wall with chalk. 

Debbie arrived with his mother at about 4pm and both women gushed over his bruised face and swollen elbow. He didn’t show them his side or his bruised hips as he didn’t want them to know further about the attack. Leaving it as an attempted mugging meant there wasn’t too much to tell and there weren’t as many questions about how he was coping or how violated he felt. After the initial interrogation both women seemed fine with his want to put it behind him and his testament that if they dwell on it too much he would become scared to be in Brooklyn and that wasn’t an option. He showed the women around the house, Jennifer having seen it before but not in its finished and furnished state. The both ooo’d and ahh’d and really felt it was a beautiful property that the men would be able to build a life in. They were both so happy for their boys.

Whilst they continued to chatter downstairs and make dinner – some Italian fish dish that Debbie picked just for Brian, Justin went back to Gus’ room and kept working on his sketch. Before he knew it the day was over and Brian was calling to check in with him and let him know he was packing up to leave work. Justin let him know that their mother’s had arrived and were preparing their meal in the kitchen. After getting off the phone he then finished up the section he was roughly sketching out on the wall and then headed down to the kitchen to help set the table. 

All of Justin’s deliveries started arriving the next day and this interrupted how much time he could spend on the mural. He hadn’t mentioned it to Brian as he wanted to surprise him with it once the room was complete with the bedding as well. Daphne arrived at about 11am and had been helping him set things up and he had told her the full and real story of his attack in Brooklyn. They had both cried together about what could have happened to him and were both so grateful that it hadn’t. Together they were able to make up each room how Justin envisaged them to be and when he could he would go back and continue sketching on the wall whilst chatting to Daphne about the upcoming show and job in New York. 

Unbeknownst to Justin, when Daphne left at around 3pm she went straight to Kinnetik, barging in past Stacey and into Brian’s office. He was on the phone when she got there, but one look at her face and the tears threatening to fall from her eyes had him quickly hanging up. He stood up and came around the desk and took her in his arms and gave her a strong hug. 

“Sorry, I am so sorry. I know you’re working but I just spent time with him and he is being so brave and I, I…” She hiccupped and broke down in tears again.

Brian just held her until the crying subsided and then moved them both to the couch in his office. Once they were seated he faced her, “You don’t have to be sorry. How did he seem?”

“I think he was ok, I mean as ok as you can be when something like this happens. Brian, he is just so amazing, how do these things happen to such an amazing person?”

“I don’t know. I ask myself the same thing every day.” Brian shook his head, still having no answer to this question. 

“You ok?” He asked the women in front of him.

“Yeah. Yeah I am now. I just needed to get it out. How about you?”

“I am just glad he’s here, he’s in one piece and that he is the most resilient little shit I have ever met.” Brian smirked at Daphne then and she smiled back at him.

“I’m just glad he has you to love him.”

Brian’s smirk dropped off and Daphne believed she saw a little blush creep up into his cheeks.


	12. Chapter Twelve

On Wednesday Emmett came to the house with a bunch of people he had hired to help him decorate for Christmas. He too fussed over Justin a bit before getting on with the job at hand. 

Justin for the most part stayed up in Gus’ room. He finally had everything sketched out by the early afternoon and was ready to start painting. He put a drop cloth down and got stuck into it. He really needed to have it done before Brian got home from work on Thursday night so that it would have that night and all day Friday to dry. Then he could reset the room on Saturday morning before the little man arrived. He knew it was a lot of work to put into a painting, that in 3 years’ time would likely need to be painted over, but it was for Gus and he would do anything for Gus. 

 

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When Justin came downstairs to meet Brian on Wednesday night, he found his lover talking to Emmett in the kitchen. The house looked amazing, there was a large 8 foot Christmas tree in the front lounge, all lit up and beautifully decorated. The banister for the stairs had garland with twinkling lights wrapped within it along it. He could see all the wonderful decorations and when he saw the dining room table it was set for the whole family and the side buffet was set with heating trays for the food to be put into on Christmas Day. Justin’s smile was incandescent. 

He wandered into the kitchen and wrapped his arms around Brian’s waist from behind, taking the beer out of his hand and having a large sip from it before handing it back. He stayed resting his forehead against the middle of Brian’s back and just listening to the two friends discuss the movements for Christmas Day and anything else that was required. During this chat he heard Emmett mention that Justin had been locked away upstairs all day and that the paint fumes wafting through the house were almost paralysing.

Brian pulled Justin around from behind him and asked where he was painting, his studio was downstairs. Justin just shrugged and muttered that he would tell him later, giving Emmett a death stare for dropping anything about anything. Though Emmett was unsure just what he had given away he knew that it was something. The man excused himself to leave the lovers to whatever it was they do when alone, said goodnight to them both and mentioned that he would be back Saturday to finalise everything. 

Brian hadn’t taken his eyes off Justin the whole time, “What’s going on Sunshine?”

“It’s a surprise for Gus; can we just leave it till they get here on Saturday?”

Brian shook his head at him, offered him another sip of his beer and a small smile before turning to look at the food in the fridge. 

“Emmett said he is going to drop all the food off on Saturday, your Mum and Deb have given him a shopping list.”

Justin nodded, “I didn’t make anything for dinner, sorry,”

Brian turned back from the fridge and wrapped Justin in his arms. He didn’t care about having dinner’s made for him every evening when he came home – he just cared about Justin being there to come home to.

The two men stood in their kitchen hugging for quite some time before Brian moved them a little to begin kissing down Justin’s neck and up behind his ear. He was still aware of the scratches on the right side of Justin’s face so stayed clear of them with his kisses. Brian put his hands on Justin’s waist and slid them down to his buttocks. He lifted his lover up and placed him on the kitchen island and stood in-between his legs, continuing to kiss him. 

Things quickly became heated between the two lovers, as it always did and before Justin had a chance to think Brian had his pants undone and was getting him to lift his butt so that he could pull them down and off him. Once his pants were discarded, Brian was then grabbing a condom out of his own pocket and dropping his pants. He pulled Justin to brace him on the edge of the counter and stuck one of his fingers into Justin’s mouth and he put his head down to lick and nibble on a nipple. Justin sucked the finger, leaving it wet and dripping with his saliva before Brian pulled it free and reached down between them and stuck it in Justin’s anus with no warning. 

Justin let out a moan, which Brian caught into his own mouth by kissing his blonde at that same time. He continued to finger Justin’s hole, pumping his finger in as far as he could push before pulling it out to the tip and moving it back in. After a few moments of this foreplay Brian couldn’t wait any longer and with his other hand, which had been resting on Justin’s hip, he picked up the condom packet and put it to Justin’s lips. 

Justin bit the corner of the packet to open it and then took it from Brian and rolled it over his engorged prick. Once it was on him, Brian immediately took his cock in his hand, positioned it at Justin’s most intimate entrance and pushed inside swiftly. Just like he had with his finger, he entered Justin in one fluid motion and was fully seated within his lover in one breath. He held still inside Justin and let his Sunshine adjust to the full, stretched feeling; loving the way Justin’s channel constricted tightly around him whilst he got used to the intrusion. 

When Justin moved in to kiss Brian again, Brian knew he could begin to move freely and began thrusting in and out of his lover over and over again. Both men knew this wasn’t going to be a long coupling; they could save that for later when they were in their bedroom. Right now though, both men just had to be joined together to assure them that Justin was there and ok and that they too were ok. 

When Brian reached between the two of them, it only took a few tugs before Justin was shooting between them. He squeezed his arse in response to cumming and this also brought Brian off. Regaining their breath they looked up into each other’s eyes and smiled. Brian lifted his hand, the one not covered in Justin’s cum, to run it down Justin’s check.

They stayed looking into each other’s eyes for a little longer before Brian reached down and gripped the base of the condom to hold it in place and he withdrew himself from Justin’s body. He threw the used, full condom into the nearby sink and then helped Justin down off the countertop. Once Justin was steady on his feet, Brian then reached down and pulled up his pants, zipping them up to keep them on his hips but not bothering to do up the clip or his belt. 

Justin bent down in front of him to also collect his pants from the ground, where Brian had dropped them. Seeing Justin’s naked arse bent over in front of him made his cock come back to life, even though it had just been completely spent. 

“You won’t need those, come on Sunshine.”

Justin rose up holding the pants and looked at Brian with a raised eyebrow. His eyes travelled down and noticed Brian had become hard again, “Amazing.” Justin scoffed happily and shook his head. 

Brian took his hand and led him over the stairs and up to their bedroom, where he lay Justin out and once again had his way with him. Neither man got to eat dinner that night.


	13. Chapter Thirteen

24 December 2005

Justin had worked himself to the bone to make sure that Gus’ room was ready for the young boy when he arrived at lunch time on Christmas Eve. When Brian pulled up in the driveway with the girls and the two kids, who he had gone to the airport to meet in a hired car he had arranged for them to use, Justin had just finished making the room up again. He had managed to clean it out of the last of his painting instruments and put it together perfectly. Even though it was cold outside he had left the window in the bedroom cracked open so that the paint fumes could continue to dissipate. 

Justin made his way down the stairs just as the front door opened and the little boy came running in.

“JUSTINNNNN!” 

Gus ran straight into his favourite person in the whole world’s arms, launching himself at the man, who managed to react in time and catch the boy.

“Umpf.” Justin let out a grunt at where Gus had slammed into the bruise on his side, hard. Justin took a deep breath and looked passed the boy in his arms and into Brian’s eyes. Brian saw the tears well up in Justin’s eyes at the pain and quickly dropped the bags he was carrying and rushed to remove the boy from Justin’s arms and check his lover was ok. 

“Sonny boy, Sunshine is a little hurt at the moment so we need to be really careful with him ok.”

Gus looked up at Justin’s face and noticed the bruised eye, that was now at least a little open and the grazed cheek. The little boy reached out to lightly touch his Justin’s face, “You are ok?”

Justin nodded and leaned in to place a kiss on the little boy’s cheek. He was such a sweet boy and he loved him so much.

Lindsay and Mel had entered the house whilst this was happening and were looking around at the beautiful decorations and taking in just how large and wonderful Britan was. Lindsay had JR in her arms; the little girl appeared to be tired and had obviously been asleep in the car. Mel also dropped the bags she was carrying and rushed over to Justin, stopping short when Gus spoke.

“Mumma, no. Jus is hurt.” The little boy stopped his mother from touching his Justin, protecting him from being hurt any further. Brian smiled down at his son in his arms, loving that he clearly adored the blonde man in front of them as much as he himself did. 

Mel stopped and also reached a hand out to touch Justin’s scraped cheek, stopping herself just before she made contact. The two looked directly in each other’s eyes, knowing that Mel knew the full story of his attack and not the abridged version he was sharing with nearly everyone else.

“How are you Justin? I can’t believe that psycho tried to mug you. I can’t believe he could think he had any right.” Lindsay started saying as she too moved over to stand beside the man. Lindsay reached out briefly with her spare hand to squeeze Justin’s arm in support, before tucking it back in under JR. Justin nodded, appreciating the love both women showed toward him. 

Justin, wanting to diffuse the now sombre mood in the house, smiled at everyone and suggested that they follow him upstairs so that they could drop their bags in their respective rooms and get settled. He reached out to take JR from Lindsay’s arms, resting her on his un-bruised side and turned on his heel making his way back up the stairs. At the landing at the top he made sure everyone was following him, which after gathering the bags dropped at the door they were. 

“Lindsay, Mel, we have put you and JR in this room.” Justin led them into the largest guest room, “we’ve set it up for JR too, so hopefully it has everything you guys need.”

Mel kissed Justin’s cheek as she went passed and dropped the bags for herself and Lindsay on the large bed. Justin went over to the vintage bassinet and put JR down, dropping a blanket over the little girl and stroking her cheek to settle her after the movement. 

“Oh this is just lovely Justin, it will be perfect.” Lindsay said, also coming into the room. 

Brian stood at the door with Gus, “You want to see your room little man?”

Gus nodded at his Daddy, excited to have his own room at his father’s house. 

Justin followed them across the hall and opened the closed door for both father and son to see the work that he had done in the room for the first time. Justin smiled as they both seemed taken by the mural on the wall. Brian put Gus down and the little boy took off to begin playing in his new bedroom. He jumped up on his bed and put his hand on the race track painted on the wall behind it, looking at it in awe. 

“I love it.” The little boy proclaimed and Justin just smiled widely at him and then at Brian.

Brian was staring at Justin with such love in his eyes that he flushed red, blushing profusely at such open admiration showing on the man’s face. Lindsay and Mel joined them in the room and joined in proclaiming how wonderful it was and how special Justin was for doing this for their son.

Brian took Justin’s hand and led him out into the hall, leaving the girls and Gus checking out all that was in the room. Once in the hall he backed Justin up against one of the walls and rested his forehead against Justin’s, closing his eyes and taking a deep breath. 

“Every day I think I couldn’t love you more and every day you prove me wrong Sunshine.” 

Justin’s smile got even wider if that was possible. Brian opened his eyes and looked at the most beautiful face in the world. He held Justin’s chin as he kissed his partner lightly on the lips. “This is why I call you Sunshine.” Brian stated as he ran his fingers over Justin’s lips and the smile that stayed on them. 

The intimate moment was broken when the gate buzzer could be heard ringing. The two separated and Justin went down to answer it and Brian went back in to see his son enjoying his bedroom. 

 

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Emmett arrived with the rest of the decorations and the food, along with Debbie. The two met and headed upstairs to see the house and the girls. Debbie was not particularly happy that her granddaughter was sleeping and not able to be disturbed but Mel assured the women that JR would probably only be down for another hour and could then be all hers. This seemed to mollify the women a little. 

After a quick discussion about what needed to be done Debbie headed into the kitchen with Justin, so that he could assist her and show her where everything was kept. Justin got to work pulling all the food that Emmett had picked up out of the bags and sorting it into the piles that Debbie directed him to so that she could easily find what was needed for each recipe. 

Once Emmett was finally happy with the setup in the dining room and the rest of the house he joined them and poured them a glass of prosecco to enjoy whilst they continued to prepare the food. Justin was cutting things up exactly as Debbie directed him too, he learnt the hard way not to try and take shortcuts. He had decided that finely diced onions meant ‘just cut them up however’ and Debbie had whipped his arse with the tea towel she had had sitting on her shoulder. The sting and yelp he let out had brought Brian running into the room to make sure his Sunshine hadn’t cut himself. This caused everyone to tease him a little about his overreaction and how much he must love the boy. Brian just snickered under his breath that he wasn’t a lesbian and could easily throw them all out.

Justin smiled up at him and in that smile he couldn’t help but become happy once again. He went over and kissed his partner on the cheek, got a beer out of the fridge and then went back to join his son in the den playing the PlayStation that was in there. Even though the boy had one in his room, they also had one in the main living section of the house so that Brian and Mikey could indulge when they were high on some sort of drug or just wanting to relive their youth. 

By 4pm the whole family had turned up at the house, including Jennifer, Tucker, Molly and Daphne. Justin had been surprised when everyone started arriving, looking at Brian inquisitively. Brian just shrugged each time a new guest arrived, he had had an inkling that Justin would love to be surrounded by the whole family for more than just one day so he had invited them all to stay overnight and wake up with them Christmas morning.   
Justin’s smile got bigger and bigger as he listened to everyone laughing in the lounge, his mother and Debbie cooking in the kitchen and Emmett acting like it was in fact his house and his party – flitting around making sure everyone had drinks and was comfortable. 

“I can’t believe you did this.” Justin said to Brian as he stood in the lounge watching everyone he loved in one room enjoying themselves and their house.

“I would do anything, be anything…”

“I think I have heard this before.”

The two men smiled again at each other, their happiness overwhelming them both.


	14. Chapter Fourteen

The night went on and on, Debbie insisting that she could rustle up some dinner for them all, even though she and Jennifer had been in the kitchen for hours prepping for the Christmas Day feast. Before anyone realised, the kids were in bed asleep and they were all in the lounge, a little tipsy, gathered around the Christmas tree singing Christmas carols and drinking the mulled wine Emmett had insisted they make at some point. 

Eventually, well after midnight, everyone decided they should head up to bed. All the couples took a room upstairs and Molly and Daphne took the one with the separate beds. Debbie and Carl would be in their room downstairs with Emmett to sleep on the fold out lounge in the den, so Justin had grabbed extra sheets, pillows and blankets for the man to make up the bed. This just left Hunter who tried to suggest he could bunk in with Daphne, who laughed in his face and pushed him away. It was decided in the end that Hunter would sleep on the couch in the lounge. 

Once they were in their bedroom with the door shut and locked, in case a small child tried to get in and surprise them at an ungodly hour of the morning, Brian stretched out on their bed. He was waiting for Justin to finish up in their bathroom and come join him. Once he did, he rolled over on top of him and started kissing him passionately and relentlessly, conveying all the feelings of love that had been brimming over inside him all day.

“I love you Justin, always.”

With that Brian sheathed his cock and slammed home into his lover.

“Oh God Brian, Brian, God!”

Justin’s head fell back against the pillow behind his head on the bed, moaning loudly, incoherently. Brian moved a hand up to pinch Justin’s nipple between his index and middle fingers, the pain causing another low growl to be ripped out of Justin. Justin’s whole body was on edge, somewhere between the pleasure and pain he was stuck as the need rose up inside of him, he could feel it growing in his belly. They hadn’t had any sort of rough sex since Justin’s attack and now that they were both drunk and happy they were letting go with each other; getting back to normal. 

Justin reached down and around, placing both his hands on the top of Brian’s buttocks, leaning back against the bed and arching his back. The new position caused Brian to hit that perfect place inside him on every forward thrust. As he withdrew he scraped it again and Justin was shivering from the feeling.

“Oh, fuck!”

“Hold on Justin,” Brian warned as he continued his brutal pace, pounding in through the tight channel. 

Every time Brian pushed into Justin is was causing him to rock backwards and Justin knew that soon his head would be knocking into the bed head. To try and prevent it he wrapped his legs up and around Brian’s hips, one arm going up and under one of his arms and the other going over the top of the other shoulder. He locked himself around Brian, attempting to secure himself to his lover as he was hammered into. The rhythm that Brian was setting though was so hard and fast and they were both dripping with sweat and that was making it hard for Justin to hang on.

It was Brian this time that let out a deep moan, before thrusting in again. This time he kissed Justin hard on the forward motion.

“God Brian, more please!” 

It wasn’t like Justin to be so vocal but he was a little drunk and so happy to be there with his man, his house filled with his family, he just couldn’t hold it in. For Brian, he loved his Sunshine when he was like this, uninhibited.

“You want more Justin? Tell me.”

“Fill me up Brian! It feels so incredible! You’re so deep. I am so full. Don’t ever stop!” Justin began speaking incoherently. 

“Never. I will never stop.”

Brian continued to thrust, repositioning them so that he had his hands and all his weight on the back of Justin’s thighs, pushing his feet up in the air and nearer to his ears. He pounded into him just letting go, bending Justin in half as he bent down and kissed the already swollen cherry red lips in front of him. Neither man could hold out any longer and before he could pull either of them back from the edge again a blinding light flashed behind Brian’s eyes and he came, the scream ripped from deep in his gut. 

Brian didn’t know how much later it was, he came back to and realised he was still held inside Justin, though his cock had softened substantially. He wished he could stay there, this is where he felt home. One day he told himself, in fact one day soon. Until then, he shifted and withdrew from Justin’s warm channel; taking the condom off and throwing it somewhere off the side of the bed. Brian didn’t really care at this moment where it ended up. 

Once it was disposed of, he dropped back down on Justin’s body, not worrying about his weight crushing his lover. Justin loved to be under him, to feel him over him; keeping him safe. He raised his head and looked at Justin’s face; the man was also out cold. He stroked his unblemished cheek, put a little loving kiss on his lips and put his head down in the space between Justin’s shoulder and neck. He kissed Justin’s neck, took a deep happy breath and fell asleep.

**The end**


End file.
